To Love is to Destroy
by deathXbeforeXdisco
Summary: Clary Morgenstern; full of love and passion. Her friends and family mean the most to her. Jace Herondale; cold and disparaging. He wants nothing to do with anyone. What happens when they meet? It's a bit slow to start but I update a lot so that kind of makes up for it! DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Mortal Instruments, Cassandra Clare does.
1. Chapter 1

Clary hummed as she walked into the school, meeting up with her closest friends, Isabelle and Simon.

"Clary!" Isabelle squealed, excitedly pulling at her arm.

Clary looked over in amusement.

"Yes, my dearest?"

"We have a new kid!"

"We are always getting new kids, it's what happens at the start of a new year," Clary laughed, trying to settle her beautiful friend.

Isabelle was—in short, stunning. She had legs for days with a slender and toned body from years of dancing and cheer leading. Her hair, the colour of a raven, cascaded down her back like a ribbon down to her waist. Her eyes were big pools of chocolate and her lips were full and sensuous. She was also gifted with impeccable fashion sense and an attitude. She was the girl everyone wanted but no one could have. Now here she was, pulling her arm off over a new kid.

"But, they're never as hot as this one," she said mischievously.

Clary snorted. A boy. That's who Isabelle was getting worked up over.

Simon rolled his eyes slightly, but made sure to do it when Isabelle couldn't see. Poor, geeky Simon had been in love with Isabelle ever since she arrived and she had never noticed. Simon was tall, near six feet, but lanky—which made him look smaller. He had glasses which were forever falling off his nose, and big, brown, puppy eyes; made bigger by his glasses. He was the epitome of a nerd. He had once spent an entire weekend on his computer trying to get past a level on Dungeons and Dragons. Clary had found him on Monday his eyes bloodshot and squinty—his room a mess of Mountain Dew and Doritos. She had given him 15 minutes to play/save before unplugging his computer and ordering him to take a shower. Unfortunately for Simon, Isabelle was out of his league—and he knew it.

"Izzy, you clearly have no idea what happened to this school when you and your brother turned up," Simon spoke up.

Isabelle turned to him in confusion and Clary laughed.

"Izzy, the whole damn school collectively had a heart attack," she explained.

Izzy pondered for a moment before smiling wickedly.

"Too bad for all the girls when they found out Alec was gay," she snickered.

"But very lucky for me," a voice piped up.

They turned to see a very glittery man. He had slanted eyes and from his Asian descent and a smirk on his face. His jet black hair was spiked up into a mohawk and the ends were gently accented by glitter. He was about the same height as Simon but had a better body, which was clothed in dress pants, a dress shirt and a brocade printed vest and a jacket over that. He and Isabelle were the king and queen of fashion. He was also very, very gay and in a relationship with Isabelle's twin brother, Alec.

"Magnus!" Clary cried delightedly.

"Biscuit," he responded fondly.

"I want a biscuit," a quiet voice added in from behind Magnus.

Alec's head emerged as his arms snaked around Magnus' small waist. Alec wasn't usually prone to public displays of affection, but here, with his closest friends, he didn't care. Alec was very obviously Isabelle's brother. He had the same eyes, skin tone and hair. Their facial structure similar, with high cheek bones and a straight nose. His jawline was more square though and obviously he had more facial hair. He was easily the tallest of the group and had a strong, toned body from football and wrestling. He was slightly over built on one side though and that was from his hobby of archery.

"Well, you can't have me, I'm promised to Izzy forever," Clary joked.

Alec smiled, the side of his mouth quirking up.

"That's okay, I have my own biscuit," he said, kissing the side of Magnus's cheek.

Magnus blushed a soft pink colour and Clary's eyes softened at the pair. They were so in love it made her feel all mushy inside.

"Okay, ew—mental images. _Scarring_ mental images," Isabelle grimaced.

They all snorted and Alec poked his tongue out at her.

The bell rang and they all looked around and agreed to meet up in classes and lunch before dispersing to their lockers.

Clary was pulling her books out of her locker when someone started banging on the locker next to her. She jumped out of her skin and closed her locker to see what the commotion was about. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the boy next to her. Her first thought was gold. He was unbelievably gold. Gold hair that curled around his ears, gold-sun kissed skin that glowed slightly in the light and gold eyes. His brows were furrowed in frustration and his mouth in a hard line. His shoulders were taut and strong as he shoved against his locker once more.

"Do you need a hand?" Clary asked gently, not wanting to offend the boy next to her.

"No," he responded curtly, not even turning to look at her.

She pursed her lips slightly and nodded silently. She reopened her locker and grabbed a couple more books before shutting and locking it.

She heard his cursing and cussing out his locker and her eyes widened at the words coming from his mouth. If she _ever_ spoke those words her brother would make her eat soap for a week!

"Lift it up instead of bashing it," she instructed him, as she walked past.

She didn't turn as she left so she didn't see him turn towards her and raise an eyebrow. The golden boy turned back to his locker and hesitantly took her advice and to his surprise, his door swung open. A small quirk of his lips was the only betrayal of his surprise. He looked over to the hall, but of course the girl was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author note: Just wanted to say, thank you to everyone who has spent any time reading this. I haven't written for 7 years give or take so I'm quite rusty. I hope this story piques everyone's interest and upholds the standards set by everyone else. I promise it will get better as it goes on.**

* * *

Clary walked into her first class, AP English and smiled as she saw Magnus and Alec waiting for her. This year, the classroom was set up in tables of four. She passed Kaelie, Seelie, Sebastian and Jon and gave them a smile and a cursory head nod. Sebastian and Jon smiled back while Kaelie and Seelie sneered. She shook her head in amazement. She never understood why those two hated her. Well, they hated nearly everyone except for themselves, Clary reasoned.

She plopped in a seat next to Magnus and smiled.  
"Ready for another year of Emily Dickinson?" Clary asked.  
Magnus just sighed dramatically but before he could reply their teacher, Mrs. Charlotte Branwell cleared her throat gaining their attention.  
"Class, we have a new student joining us. Jonathan, why don't you introduce yourself?" she gestured warmly.  
Clary frowned for a moment, Jon wasn't new?

"Hi, my name is Jonathan, I prefer Jace."  
Clary turned in her seat and saw the golden boy from the lockers. Her brows relaxed in understanding.  
"Hi Jace, I'm Kaelie, if you ever need me," Kaelie called out silkily.  
He looked down at her and gave her a tight smile.  
"Thanks," he muttered, somewhat sarcastically.  
Clary barely muffled her snort at the look of shock on Kaelie's face. Magnus poked her in the side and she glared at him, though she couldn't hide the amusement in her eyes.  
"Well, Jace, we only have one spot left in the room and that is with Clarissa, Magnus and Alec, please take a seat," she directed.

Jace's eyes wandered out and he noticed the empty seat. It was located in a corner next to a boy with black hair and brown eyes; opposite the redhead who helped him with his locker. He pressed his lips together and walked down the aisle, ignoring the longing looks of the girls. He dumped his books on the table and slid into his seat, giving a cursory nod to the people around him.  
"Hi, I'm Magnus, this is Alec and Clary," the glittery Asian boy introduced.  
Jace didn't really want to do names or friends. He just wanted to get his last year of school over and done with.  
"Jace," he grunted quietly.  
He didn't want to be rude; however, he wanted to make it clear he wasn't going to be friends.  
"Class, for the next three weeks we will be reading and studying, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Has anyone read this before?" Mrs. Branwell hands remained lowered however both Jon and Clary's hands were raised. Mrs. Branwell smiled.  
"Do either of you want to make a summary of the book?" she asked kindly.  
"Isn't it about a guy who reanimates a corpse and then goes nuts?" Sebastian called out.  
Mrs. Branwell's eyes turn to ice.  
"If you have something to say, Mr. Verlac, please _raise your hand_ ," she instructs.

Jace notices the way Clary's mouth twists, as if to hold in laughter.  
"Mrs. Branwell?" Clary asks.  
"Yes, dear?" her eyes softening.  
"Frankenstein is actually the doctor who creates the creature. It is a tragedy I believe. Victor, obsessed with the idea of reanimating, creates this creature and upon the rebirth of this being—hates him. He teaches this creature nothing else but fear and hate and for the rest of his life goes out to track this… monster."  
Jace notices as her face frowns and her nose crinkles, it is obvious—to him at least, that she does not believe the creature is a monster. Interesting.  
Mrs. Branwell smiles and nods.  
"Yes, this is true. It is a Gothic novel focusing on Victor Frankenstein's triumph and guilt. He created his monster and immediately feared and hated it.  
For the first week, we are going to read the novel. Some in class, but majority at home. The second week, we will dissect the novel. Noting themes, motifs and symbols. The third week you will do a group project on it. Together in your tables of four you will pick what you believe is the most important scene and act it out—play by play with a narrative and an explanation of why it is so important," Mrs. Branwell finished.

The books were handed back through the tables and finally Clary had a copy. She was excited to go through and read it again. Her mother had made her read it after finding out she called a kid a monster for tormenting her at school. After which she went up to her tormentor and apologised and tried to understand where they were coming from. Clary looked up and smiled at Magnus. He looked back at her and they were silently communicating. Magnus was the one who tormented her daily, but then after Frankenstein and talking to him he burst into tears and explained why. That was how she discovered he was gay.  
She could tell by the way the Magnus's face darkened that he was remembering and he felt terrible about how he treated her. She just smiled and gave his hand a quick squeeze to let him know all was forgiven.

Jace watched the exchange with critical eyes. He couldn't imagine why Frankenstein would cause this reaction in two people. He then decided he didn't care. He didn't care why the glittery boy looked troubled and the red head reassuring.

"So, since we're working together on this thing does anyone want to meet up later in the week? Once we've read it, I mean," Alec queried.  
"I'm free on Thursday, I don't have to work until six, so any time after three is good," Clary answered.  
"Thursday works for me," Magnus agreed as Alec nodded and they all turned to Jace.  
He looked at them for a moment before sighing.  
"Yeah whatever. Where will we meet?" he asked.  
Clary frowned slightly at him and he raised an eyebrow at her. Alec watched their exchange carefully, ready to jump in to defend his friend if need be.  
"Library?" Magnus interjected, breaking the tension.  
Jace nodded and Clary agreed.  
"Library at three-thirty?" Alec confirmed.  
They all nodded and went back to focusing on their books.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: This is the first time I have ever tried writing in 3rd Person, so please let me know if it's okay. If not I can change it to first person easily. Thanks again to everyone who is reading this!**

* * *

After another class they all met up for lunch. Isabelle was bursting for news on the new kid and Clary rolled her eyes.  
"Don't bother, he's kind of a jerk," she said flatly.  
Isabelle looked crestfallen and Clary gave her a sympathetic look.  
"I'm sorry, but he's judgemental and all pissy. In English he behaved like it was this big drama to be working with us. Like we're not good enough. I don't really care personally but I mean, at least be polite right?" Clary huffed.  
She frowned as she remembered how he rolled his eyes and made it seem like he would rather poke his eye out with a fork than do anything with them. Even Kaelie would have been better than that.  
Isabelle sighed.  
"What a waste of such pretty genetics," she commented.  
Clary snorted.  
"If you say so," she responded.

They took their seat at their usual table and soon it was filled with people. Their conversations all overlapping and full of laughter. Jon was teasing Sebastian and Sebastian giving him a noogie while Jon yelled about his hair. Kaelie and Seelie had even let their guards down and laughed along with them.  
Jordan and Maia, another couple had joined them and were joking around.  
Clary looked around and felt at ease. She was here with her favourite people and all was well. She heard their conversations drop and she looked around to see that Jace had entered the cafeteria.  
He had his own lunch and barely stopped for a moment before making his way to an empty table. Isabelle looked to Clary and Clary bit her lip. She felt a bit bad for Jace sitting all alone and Isabelle glared at her. Clary sighed, knowing she was right.

Jace unpacked his lunch and started to eat the apple he had brought before he was interrupted.  
"Hi."  
He looked up to see the red head from English. Claire? Cassie? He couldn't remember, and he didn't care, but he wondered what she wanted from him.  
She looked nervous, her fingers reaching up to play with her wild, curly hair. He was momentarily distracted by the motion and the way the light made her hair look about six different shades of red.  
"Um, I— _we_ noticed you were sitting alone and we wondered if you would like to sit with us?" she offered.  
He watched as her bright green eyes flickered around before holding steady to his gaze. She chewed on her lip and shifted her weight. He looked over to see where she came from and saw a table full of people. The two others from English, Magnus and Alex. The girl, Kaelie, whose name he noted down for later. He also saw a bunch of others he didn't recognise and his nose crinkled slightly. Too many people for his taste.

He looked back at Claire to see her expression had changed from nervous to angry. He was surprised and confused.  
"Whatever, I should have known better," she bit out.  
"What?" he asked in confusion.  
Her green eyes flared with a burning fire.  
"YOU! Wrinkling your nose up at us like we're some damn peasants or something! In case you haven't noticed, _we_ are the _only_ ones who have even _tried_ to be your friend," she snarled at him.  
He couldn't help the smirk or his response that came out.  
"Kaelie was pretty friendly."  
Clary scoffed.  
"She's not friendly, she's an STD on legs. Use protection," she answered coldly before turning on her heel and walking away.

Jace's eyes followed her as she went back and talked to a tall, black haired girl. Claire, Cassie, whatever her name was, she was… interesting. She obviously… loved her friends and it seemed would do anything for them. He wrinkled his nose up at the notion, looking down at his abandoned apple, now feeling somewhat nauseated.  
 _To love, is to destroy._


	4. Chapter 4

**Author Note: A big tthank you to tmifan for leaving me my first review! Thank you so much for your kind words! This chapter is for you.**

* * *

Clary sang and danced along to the Michael Jackson song that was playing on her phone. Well, it was actually the Alien Ant Farm cover but who cared right?

" _Annie, are you_ _OK?_ _  
_ _Will you tell us that you're OK?_ _  
_ _There's a sign at the window,_ _  
_ _That he struck you,_ _  
_ _A crescendo, Anni_ _e._ _  
_ _He came into your apartment,_ _  
_ _He left the bloodstains on the carpet,_ _  
_ _Then you ran into the bedroom._ _  
_ _You were struck down,_ _  
_ _It was your doom,"_ she sang and bopped.

She wasn't watching where she was going because she was trying to moonwalk and crashed right into someone, who sent her flying to the ground.  
"Ughh," she groaned.  
She could hear Smooth Criminal playing, sounding tinny beside her as she sat up and grabbed her phone.  
"I'm so sorry, are you okay?"  
Clary looked up to see none other than Jace. He looked genuinely concerned for her and he was reaching a hand out to her. She frowned slightly in confusion. He had been a complete douche to her at lunch and now he was concerned for her and helping her up?  
"Uh, thanks," she said softly, taking his hand.  
Instantly she was zapped by an electric shock and she snatched her hand away.  
"Ow!" she cried, looking up at him accusingly.  
His mouth had curled into a crooked smile and he chuckled slightly.  
"I think the friction between me and your hair caused an electric charge," he said.  
She looked at him uncertainly, was he teasing her hair? She self consciously ran her hand through her hair and frowned at him.  
His eyes had softened though.  
"I didn't mean any offense," he said quietly. "Here."

He bent down and took her hand and helped her up, reaching around her back to steady her ascent.  
"Thanks, sorry for running into you. I just kinda lost myself in the music," she laughed sheepishly.  
Jace gave her another crooked grin.  
"I get it, we've all been hypnotised by Michael Jackson at least once," he laughed.  
She smiled up at him.  
"Exactly, I just can't get that moonwalk right though," she admitted.  
"The trick is to have all your weight on the other foot," he said and then promptly executed a perfect moonwalk.  
Clary's face changed to one of awe.  
"You have to teach me your ways!" she exclaimed, grabbing his arm.

This time she was nearly blown away by the electric tingling and wave of heat that spread through her arm from her fingers. It obviously affected Jace too because he stopped. He looked at her arm, his face dark. He sharply pulled it away and looked at her as if she had just killed his puppy.  
Her eyes met his, hers wide with surprise and confusion. His heart was pounding and he could feel his blood pounding in his ears. He was overwhelmed by this feeling of needing to _go._ He didn't know what this girl was playing at but he was having no part of it. He pulled away from her and immediately walked off to his motorcycle. Clary stared after him confused by his reaction. He was behaving like it was her fault, and what was with him randomly being kind to her? She shook her head and looked around to see if anyone had seen the exchange. Luckily, it seemed no one had noticed. She turned her music back on and more subdued now she walked home.

When she got home she was immediately greeted by her mother, Jocelyn.  
"Hey sweetie, how was your first day back?"  
"It was good, thanks Mom. I have most of my classes with Izzy and guess what!" Clary was growing excited by her news.  
"What's that?"  
"In English, we're studying Frankenstein!" Clary said delightedly.  
Since the incident with Magnus, Frankenstein had actually been one of her favourite books and Jocelyn knew it.  
"That's wonderful honey, I know you'll get an A for it," she encouraged.  
Clary's smile faded a little as she remembered how non-commital Jace had been. Jocelyn noticed her daughters face change.  
"What's wrong honey?"  
"Oh, just… this new kid, Jace. He just… I don't know, he's weird Mom..." Clary answered frustrated.  
Jocelyn gave her daughter a level stare.  
"He… he acts like it's all too much trouble for him, like he'd rather gouge his eyes out with a spoon instead of work with us. I tried to give him another chance at lunch, at Izzy's insistence and he… he wrinkled his nose at us! Like who the hell does he think he is? He doesn't even _know_ us and he's passing judgement?" Clary ranted.  
Jocelyn gave her a small smile.  
"Did you happen to think _you_ were passing judgement? Perhaps he wasn't wrinkling his nose at you or your friends. I understand how it may have looked like that, and for all I know possibly he _was,_ but until you know for sure you can't just jump to conclusions," Jocelyn said kindly.

Clary pondered for a moment and thought about it and then about her weird encounter with Jace this afternoon and wondered if she should mention it. She thought about the tingling that went up her arm and down her spine and the way he had held her eyes afterwards. Dark and… scared? She realised what her mother was saying might be true after all. Clary looked over her mother and was envious.

Wise and beautiful. Her mother was a much better person than she could ever be. Jocelyn had been a small time model when she was younger and it still showed. Her hair, as red as Clary's was a bit more tame. It rolled in waves down her back instead of tangled up. Her face was more angular—less round than Clary's and her eyes a deep green and full of knowledge and wisdom.  
Clary sighed and bowed her head.  
"You're right Mom, but, I don't know how to, how to… Ugh, he's just confusing!" Clary grumbled.  
Her Mom laughed.  
"That's what boys do best sweetheart. Speaking of boys, where's your brother?" she asked.  
"Football practice. Even on the first day back," Clary said dismissively. "When will Dad be home?"  
"Soon honey, he just has some paperwork to finish up on," her Mom replied.  
"Okay, well, I'll be in my room doing homework," Clary said, standing up.  
"Okay, I'll call you down when dinner is ready," Jocelyn said, standing up to start dinner.  
"Okay Mom."


	5. Chapter 5

**Big shout out to Cheyashton and reemarie36 for reviewing! You are both beautiful and wonderful! This chapter is for you both!**

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The next morning Clary woke up at 5:30am. She rolled over in bed and could see dawn barely breaking through the trees. She smiled sleepily and climbed out of bed. She changed into a sports bra, tank top and a pair of Jon's old footy shorts. She laced up her running shoes and grabbed her phone and earphones, plugging them in and hitting play. The sound of Panic! At The Disco entered her ears and she smiled as she walked out the door, working up to a slow run. She took a left and kept going. It was something her mother suggested she try, a few years ago Clary had been in a dark place and Jocelyn suggested she take up running and Clary hated it initially but after keeping at it she found she loved it. The morning air was fresh and invigorating, preparing her for the day ahead. She became fitter and thinner and she felt her self confidence grow. While running it was just her, she didn't need to impress anyone, defend anyone. It was just her.

Clary kept running, her hair now tied up in a messy bun and sweat pooling on her back and chest. She reached Central Park and smiled at the trees. She slowed to a walk and paused by a pond; seeing the ducks quack and swim with their babies made her day feel a bit brighter. She smiled and picked her run back up.

She made the last 10 minutes a sprint and when she crashed through the door back home her whole family looked up with shock and worry.  
"Clary? Are you okay?"  
"Clare bear?"  
"Was someone following you?"

The last was her father, a tall, man with salt and pepper hair. It had once been nearly white, like Jon's, but now it was changing colour with age. His eyes were a light blue and had the intensity only a veteran cop could manage. His shoulders taut and his eyes flickering between the door and the windows, searching for danger.  
"No—Just—Decided—To—Sprint—The- Last—Ten—Minutes!" Clary gasped out between heaving breaths.  
Valentine, her father, studied her carefully looking for any hint of a lie before nodding and sitting back down.  
"What would you do that for, Clare?" her brother, Jon, laughed.  
She poked her tongue out at him.  
"Some of us actually want to stay in shape," Clary blurted, her breath coming a bit easier now.  
Jon just grimaced.  
"Ew, who would want to do that?" Jon remarked.  
Clary looked at him weirdly.  
"You're the captain of the football team," she said, deadpan.  
He narrowed his eyes at her.  
"You can't prove that!" he said jokingly.  
She just shook her head with a smile.  
"I'll be upstairs having a shower," she called out.  
"Good! You need one!" Jon yelled back.  
"Not as bad as you do!" she retorted.  
"Hey! I-" Clary cut him off by closing the shower door.

When she emerged half an hour later she was freshly washed and dressed. She wore black skinny jeans with a white, peplum top and a mint green blazer with some black flats. Something Isabelle would approve of. She trotted downstairs, while running argan oil through her hair to try and tame some of the frizz. Her mother looked up at her and she smiled.  
"You look nice," she complimented.  
Clary beamed.  
"Thanks, Mom!" Clary responded, her cheeks going pink from pleasure.  
Jon looked up at her and gave her a critical eye.  
"You look good, everything covered—I approve," he said, passing judgement.  
Clary wanted to both hit him and hug him. She opted for both.  
"HEY! What was that for?!" he objected.  
"Do you really think I need your approval?" she challenged him, her hands on her hips.  
He looked at his and set his jaw.  
"Absolutely. As my younger sister it is my job to protect you and approve all outfits so no _boys_ get the wrong idea," he said firmly.  
The icy glare she gave him could have frozen fire however, had no effect on him.  
"Face it, Clare, I'm here to stay as Official Outfit Checker," he said, leaning back on his chair.  
Clary glared some more then came up with a wicked idea. She walked over to him and nodded as if agreeing with him and then as she passed him, kicked the leg of the chair he was leaning back on causing it to crash to the ground.  
"WHOA!"  
"CLARY!"  
"Clarissa Adele Morgenstern."

Clary froze at the voice of her father. She turned to look at him, deer in the headlights. Her father looked at her evenly for what felt like an age before his lips twitched up and he held out his hand for a fist bump. She grinned as Jon protested, fist bumping him back.  
"Please don't do that too often," he told her.  
She gave him an innocent smile.  
"I won't, Jonny can't afford to lose any more brain cells," she responded sweetly.  
"I'm going to kill you!"

Clary squealed as Jon leapt up and chased after her, she ran quickly through the front door where she stopped suddenly. There was a car in the driveway that she didn't recognise. Her father's police cruiser was there, her mother's safe Toyota Rav 4 was in the garage, Jon's Hilux was on the lawn but there was a Mazda that she didn't recognise.  
"Whose car is that?" Clary called inside.  
She turned to see her father and mother smiling.  
"Yours, Clary," he said.  
Her eyes widened in shock and excitement.  
"Are you freaking kidding me?!" she squealed.  
Her mother shook her head, holding out a set of keys. Clary felt moisture in her eyes and she ran over tackling them both into a tight hug.  
"You guys are the best! Thank you! This is the best day ever!"  
She took the keys and ran over to the drivers door, excitedly jumping in. The interior was a black with blue accents matching the cool blue of the exterior. She turned the car over and wound the window down and stuck her head out.  
"YOU ARE THE BEST! I LOVE YOU!" she screamed.  
"You're reaching Isabelle levels, and I didn't think that was possible!" Jon complained.  
She just stuck her tongue out and sat back in, winding the window back up. She buckled in and put the car in reverse, carefully pulling out and onto the street.

She immediately drove over to the Lightwood's to show Isabelle. She pulled up next to Izzy's sleek black Audi and killed the engine. She leapt out of the car and ran to the door way—letting herself in. She ran right up to Izzy's room and threw the door open to see Izzy at her vanity, carefully applying her makeup.

"Clary?" Izzy turned to her friend.  
"IZZY!" Clary burst out.  
Isabelle took in her outfit and gave her an approving look.  
"Very cute," she complimented.  
Clary gave her a confused look.  
"Huh?"  
"Your outfit—cute. Now, why are you here at seven thirty? Do you need me to do your makeup?!" Isabelle leapt up, almost at the same level of excitement as Clary.  
"No. I need to show you something!" Clary squealed.  
Isabelle looked disappointed for a moment but then smiled.  
"Well show me!" she demanded.

She threw off her dressing gown to reveal her outfit. She was wearing a blush coloured scoop neck top with gold embellished shoulders with a black skirt that went to her knees. She already had on four inch black heels.  
"Izzy, it's _seven thirty!_ How are you wearing heels?" Clary exclaimed, momentarily forgetting her news.  
Izzy gave her a smile.  
"Fashion waits for no one," she stated.  
She grabbed a black one button blazer and made her way out the door. Clary quickly snapping to attention and speeding up to match Isabelle's long strides.  
Clary threw the doors outside open and ran out to her car.  
"LOOK! Isn't she beautiful?!" Clary cried.  
Izzy grinned and gently ran her fingers over the top.  
"She's beautiful! You're so lucky! Where did you get it?" Izzy gushed.  
"Mom and Dad! They brought her over while I was in the shower! She handles so nicely too! She's so cute! I'm going to name her Sky," Clary decided.  
"She's a steal! I'm so happy for you!"  
Clary looked over and could see the happiness in Izzy's eyes and knew she was sincere. The Lightwood's were incredibly rich so Clary's car was nothing for them, but Izzy knew that Clary's family wasn't so well off so she knew what a momentous and amazing present this was for her.  
"Drive me to school?" Izzy asked.  
"Of course!"

They arrived at school an hour later, Isabelle fully made up and to her delight and Clary's dread—so was Clary. Although, she thought, to be fair to Izzy, she did a good job. Izzy had evened out and covered up her freckles with foundation and concealer before doing a simple and small brown-bronze smokey eye with winged liner. She even managed to talk Clary into wearing a red lip and when Clary had looked in the mirror she had like what she had seen. She looked… older. Sophisticated. Like her mother.  
"Whoa, total babe alert!" Magnus called out and everyone turned to look at Clary and Izzy.  
Clary blushed and ducked behind her hair.  
"No! You are not hiding my good work! You are beautiful and you need to own it, sistah," Izzy demanded, adding a slightly ghetto flair to the last word.  
Clary laughed at Izzy's failed attempt to sound ghetto and let go of her hair, giving Izzy a slightly insecure look. Izzy gave her an encouraging smile and Clary felt better. They faced back to everyone and gave them a winning smile.  
"Doesn't she look amazing?" Izzy gushed.  
"If I was straight I would definitely try to tap that," Magnus instantly responded, causing Clary's cheeks to flame up.  
"I think I might even have to try."

Clary looked up to the voice and saw Sebastian grinning at her. Now, Sebastian was definitely one of the Gods of Alicante High. He had jet black hair that often fell over his forehead and dark eyes that you could fall into. He was built from football and it showed. Sebastian was one of her brother's best friends and so they knew each other on a casual level but she would have never dreamed that he would think of her on any other level.  
She laughed, feeling somewhat awkward.  
"Thanks guys," she said softly.  
"In all honesty, you look amazing," Simon said to her.  
She smiled appreciatively. Simon was her oldest friend, the two meeting in kindergarten and becoming instant friends. He knew her better than anyone else and he knew how awkward she was feeling.  
"So anyway, just wanted to know if anyone has seen Jon? Coach is on a rampage for some reason or other. Did he come with you, Clary?" Sebastian asked.  
He brushed some of his black hair out of his eyes and she shook her head.  
"Sorry, I left early. Did you send him a text?" she asked.  
"Yeah, he didn't respond," Sebastian answered.  
Clary just shrugged helplessly.  
"Sorry," she apologised.  
He gave her another smile.  
"There's nothing you need to apologise for Clare Bear," he said quietly.  
Isabelle's eyes widened at the nickname and she turned to smirk at Clary. Clary gave her a short sharp glare and turned back to Sebastian, but he had left.

"Ooh, _Clary_ , my, my—now look who is stealing hearts," Magnus teased.  
Clary blushed and looked down.  
"He wasn't flirting, he was just being nice," she downplayed it.  
Inwardly though her heart was beating in her throat and she was feeling a little shaky, but in a good way. With Isabelle as her best friend it was rather hard to gain the attention of any guy so she wasn't used to having anyone, let alone someone as hot as Sebastian take notice of her.

Izzy noticed the small smile on Clary's face and immediately made a silent goal to push Clary and Sebastian together in time for Homecoming.


	6. Chapter 6

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: SLIGHT TRIGGER WARNING ABOUT ANIMAL ABUSE. If you are familiar with Jace and the falcon then you know what I am talking about.**

* * *

Clary rushed to her locker, trying desperately to grab her books in time to make it to her class, which was on the other side of the school. Apparently she wasn't the only one running late as she saw Jace wrestling with his locker again. She sighed and quickly pushed his hands and shoulder out of the way. She slammed her shoulder into the door and using the latch as leverage shoved her body in and up, causing the latch to pop and the door to swing open.

She turned away and quickly opened hers, getting her books out.

"Uh, um, thanks," Jace said, sounding uncomfortable.

She looked over at him and nodded giving him the same courtesy as he had shown her yesterday. She slammed her locker shut and locked it.

"Wait, um. I-I have biology with—"Jace cursed and checked his paper.

"Mr. Graymark," they said in unison.

He looked at her surprised and she looked at him blankly.

"I'll show you the way, but keep up. We're already going to be late," she said.

Jace nodded silently.

Clary turned away from him and started running. He was surprised with the speed she managed to keep at as they sprinted across the building, through the courtyard and to the end of the next building. He looked over and saw she had barely broken a sweat.

Clary entered the lab to see Mr. Graymark had just begun. He fixed her with a level stare.

"Pleased to see you can join us," he said smoothly.

"Sorry Mr. Graymark, it won't happen again," Clary said quietly, embarrassed.

He nodded to her, letting her know she had to find her table. She groaned as there was only one free table. She threw her books down and glared at Jace. Stupid boy was going to be her lab partner. The guy who didn't want anything to do with anyone.

"Ah, our resident new kid, welcome Jonathan. Take a seat next to Clary please," Mr. Graymark requested.

Jace nodded and sat next to her. He could see she wasn't real happy and saw the dark haired girl she was with yesterday mouthing, 'Sorry' at her. Clary just nodded and he frowned. He wasn't that bad, was he? He thought back and then internally grimaced as he remembered yesterday. The way that her hand on his sent shivers down his back and a fire through his veins was a feeling he never wanted to feel again. This redheaded girl, she was dangerous.

Not long after Mr. Graymark started his lecture and Jace started to zone him out.

 _Sorry for yesterday._

Jace was flabbergasted by the note Clary had slid over to him.

 _ **Why?**_

 _I totally flipped out on you at lunch. It wasn't cool. I'm really sorry._

Jace didn't know what to think.

 _ **That's fine. I understand.**_

 _Anyway, my Mom said something to me last night about how I shouldn't judge and jump to conclusions. So, I'm asking again, would you like to spend lunch with my friends and I?_

Jace noticed that she wrote in full sentences with punctuation and grammar, he liked that, but he still wasn't going to join the 'In Crowd'.

 _ **Thanks, but no thanks.**_

 _Why not?_

 _ **I prefer my own company.**_

 _That sounds lonely._

He pondered over her response for a moment, his pen poised above the paper. Was he lonely? He thought back to the years he had spent with people, the falcon his father had gotten him, the one he killed. He thought back to his mother and his heart ached. Every time he thought of her it felt like a knife twisting in his gut and a hand squeezing his heart. His hand clenched around his pen as his breath trembled.

" _To love, is to destroy."_

 _He saw his father glaring down at him, the falcon's head hanging freely from its' body._

" _You made this bird love you. You destroyed it. This is your fault!"_

 _He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes and his struggle to keep them at bay as he mourned for his animal companion._

 _ **No. It's better this way.**_

 _Are you okay?_

 _ **Fine.**_

Clary looked over and saw his face set in anger, remorse and sadness. His hands trembled slightly and his knuckles were white as they gripped onto his pen. He was clearly not okay and she felt for him in that moment. She thought back to what her mother had said the night before and realised, Jace had way more to him than she first thought. She wondered if she should ask or say anything.

 _If you need to talk or anything, I'm here for you._

Jace looked over at her in surprise and saw nothing but honesty and sympathy in her eyes. It made him sick to the stomach. He did not want her pity—ever.

Clary watched his eyes darken and she wondered if she had pushed him too far.

 _ **What? Do you think I'm going to open up and suddenly we become best friends and then lovers and live happily ever after or something? Life is not a damn fairy tale! I don't need you, nor do I want you. Annoy someone else.**_

Clary was shocked by the message; her mouth dropping into an 'O'. She was instantly frustrated. She grabbed the paper and scrunched it up glaring at Jace. He glared right back at her.

"Clarissa. Jonathan. Is there something on each others faces that's more important than my lecture?"

Clary looked up at Mr. Graymark, mortified, as the class tittered.

"No, sir," she mumbled.

"Jonathan?"

Clary looked up at Jace and his face was critical. It was as if he was studying an unknown life form and it repulsed him.

"I was just noting how extraordinarily _big_ Clarissa's nose was," Jace replied evenly.

Clary's eyes widened and she automatically reached up to hide her nose, as the whole class laughed and turned to stare at her.

Isabelle was beyond furious as she saw her best friend's eyes start to water, and her fists clenched. Beside her Simon's whole body was taut—waves of anger rolling from him, fuelling her anger.

"That's funny you think her nose is big, Jace, because I think your head is too damn big," Isabelle snarled, throwing herself in the fire.

Jace whirled around, obviously not expecting someone else to jump in.

"Cute, do you always fight everyone's battles for them?" he shot back.

"Class," Mr. Graymark growled in warning.

"Only to put liars in their place," Izzy responded snarkily.

"You don't know the _first_ damn thing about me, _Princess_ ," Jace sneered.

"Hey! Don't sneer at her!" Alec jumped up, defending his sister.

" _CLASS!_ That is _enough!_ " Mr. Graymark barked, ending the argument. "If one more person speaks out of turn _everyone_ gets a detention!"

Clary snapped her mouth shut and turned to the board deciding to ignore the idiot next to her.

"Oh my _God!_ What a _douche!_ " Isabelle screeched as they left.

Clary rolled her eyes.

"I don't want to waste my breath on that prick," Clary muttered.

She felt so self conscious now, especially about her nose.

"Biscuit, don't you dare for one second think that what he said it true. You have a beautiful nose. Perfect for your face. If anything, slightly small," Magnus tried to reassure her.

"It's fine guys, don't worry about it. I'm not taking anything he said to heart. He's just lashing out," Clary said quietly. "Thanks for having my back, Izzy."

Isabelle smiled and examined her beautifully manicured nails.

"Just wait 'til I get my claws on him. He won't know what happened," she laughed.

"I think he's going to get someone else's claws in him, actually," Simon commented.

They looked over to see Jace and Kaelie talking and walking together. Seelie had been left to fend for herself, which only meant one thing.

"Can you really call it 'getting lucky' if it's with Kaelie?" Isabelle pondered.

Everyone just grimaced.


	7. Chapter 7

**Song credit: Can't Stop This Feeling by Justin Timberlake and Closer by The Chainsmokers.**

 **Also big shout outs to catastrophicmind, . .books, reemarie36, vimto474 and clairvoyancerune for reviewing! You have all made my day xo**

 **And thank you so very much to everyone for reading, following and favouriting. You are all amazing!**

* * *

Before Clary knew it, it was Thursday and she was on her way to the library. Izzy was in the car with her and together they were both singing and bopping along to the radio.

" _I got that sunshine in my pocket,_ _  
_ _Got that good soul in my fee_ _t._ _  
_ _I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops, ooh_ _  
_ _I can't take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally,_ _  
_ _Room on lock the way we rock it, so don't stop!"_

Isabelle and Clary both laughed as she pulled a park and they kept dancing and grooving, turning the music up louder, while they waited for the rest to turn up.

Jace sped towards the library on his motorcycle and pulled into a park, killing the engine. He pulled his helmet off his head and shook his hair out, ignoring the appreciative looks he was getting. He wondered briefly where the others were but was distracted by a voice. It floated towards him on a cloud and wrapped around him. For the first time in a long time he felt his hands twitch like they were playing piano and he felt the burning desire to play.

" _I know it breaks your heart,  
Moved to the city in a broke-down car.  
And four years, no calls,  
Now you're looking pretty in a hotel bar.  
And I, I, I, I, I can't stop,  
No, I, I, I, I, I can't stop."_

He followed the voice and the music to a blue Mazda and looked in to see Clary. Her red hair framing her face, setting off her skin like porcelain, her freckles barely visible. Her eyes were closed and as she sang her head and body twisted with the music and he was mesmerised. Her voice was rich, clear and sweet; he leaned back against a ledge and closed his eyes as he listened to all of her blending and dynamics. She was beautiful.

"What are you doing?"

Jace's eyes snapped open and he saw Isabelle standing in front of him, hands on her hips and a furious expression on her face. His eyes flickered to Clary and he could see she was still singing, oblivious to his presence.

"Nothing," he responded quietly.

He felt disorientated. Like just coming up from a deep sleep or from deep underwater. Isabelle's eyes narrowed at him.

"I don't believe you," she scowled.

He frowned. Her voice was ruining the magical experience.

"Would you be quiet please?" he asked her.

He eyebrows shot into her hairline in incredulity.

"Excuse me?" her voice shot up an octave.

He glared at her.

"Shut up. You're ruining her singing!" he hissed at her, his gold eyes flashing desperately.

Isabelle was insulted and bewildered. She stepped away, watching him as he relaxed. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes while Clary sang to the new pop song on the radio and for a moment he looked more peaceful than she had ever seen him at school. Izzy's eyes flickered between the two critically, trying to figure out what she was missing.

Jace was a jerk to Clary, through and through. So why was he so… enamoured by her voice? Izzy didn't like this. Jace was going with Kaelie now—made obvious by the two constantly disappearing into janitor closets, he was going to hurt Clary. She gave him a gentle tap to the shoulder and his eyes opened in frustration at her.

"What?!" he snapped quietly.

"Don't even think about trying anything with her," Izzy hissed in warning.

Jace stared at her.

"You are screwing around with Kaelie. Don't think for one second I will let you do the same to Clary," Isabelle threatened.

Jace looked at her and she could see he was thinking about something but she couldn't figure out what any of it was.

"I don't want to," Jace said lowly, kicking back off the ledge and walking past. "Tell Clary I'm inside and waiting."

That confused Isabelle more than anything. She had an excellent bullshit detector and he wasn't lying.

"Who was that?"

Izzy turned to see Clary climbing out of her car. She gave her a smile.

"Jace. He said to say he was inside and waiting," Isabelle recanted.

Clary rolled her eyes.

"God forbid he actually have to speak to me," she muttered, missing the look Isabelle sent her.

"Yeah, I know right," Izzy laughed sounding slightly forced.

Clary gave her a concerned look.

"Are you okay Iz?" she asked.

"Yeah, great, why do you ask?"

"You just seem… odd. I dunno," Clary commented.

Izzy gave her a weird look.

"Your face is odd," she teased back and Clary laughed shoving her friend lightly.

"Mean and completely uncalled for," Clary told her.

Izzy just shrugged and flicked her hair over her shoulder.

They walked into the library together but separated soon after. Izzy was working on a project for her Fashion Design class so she was at the computers while Clary made her way over to Jace who was sitting at a desk reading the last of Frankenstein. Clary popped her stuff on the floor and slid into her seat, pulling out her sketchbook and working on a sketch of her interpretation of Frankenstein.

"You have a beautiful voice."

Clary stilled and looked at Jace, horrified. He was leaning back in his chair still reading, it looked like he hadn't even said anything.

"What?"

"I heard you singing," Jace said, his eyes never moving from Frankenstein.

Clary swallowed hard and tried to hide the blush of embarrassment from moving to her face.

"Uh. Oh. Um… I-sorry," she stuttered.

Jace's eyes slid to hers, holding her gaze. They were warm, more tawny than gold and full of honesty. His mouth had quirked into a small smile, the same crooked one he had the other day.

"You have a beautiful singing voice. You shouldn't apologise for that, it's a gift," he complimented quietly.

Clary gulped and nervously grabbed at her hair, twisting it around her fingers.

"I-I thanks. I don't usually sing unless I'm with Izzy. She makes me sound better, she's better," Clary laughed self deprecatingly.

Jace's eyes changed and they became more firm.

"I wasn't listening to Isabelle. I was listening to _you_ ," he said.

Clary's eyes searched his whole face for a hint of a lie, a joke and unspoken untruth but she couldn't see one. Her heart skipped a beat for a moment and she broke their gaze and looked back down at her drawing, trying to take the focus off her.

"I don't know what to say," she admitted quietly.

"You don't have to say anything. I just thought you should know," Jace said, his eyes returning to the book.

Together they sat silently, waiting for the others. A million thoughts flying through Clary's brain—most about the Golden Boy beside her.

"Good evening my favourite magical space butterflies!"

Clary chuckled as she looked up at Magnus.

"How can I always tell that it's you?" Clary asked sarcastically.

"Because you have a deep connection with me. We have a twin thing," Magnus replied, not missing a beat.

"You are so full of crap," Clary laughed.

Magnus just shrugged.

"I can't deny that," he agreed.

"Where's Alec?" Clary asked.

"He'll be here in a minute, he's just… composing himself," Magnus responded slyly.

"Ew, mental images! My poor innocent brain is scarred!" Clary cried.

Magnus smirked at her.

"So, do you have any idea about what scene you want to do? After all you are the only one to have read the book before. You are our ace in the hole," Magnus said, sliding into his seat.

"I want to do the scene where Frankenstein and Victor talk. It is a really deep scene I think. Victor actually listens to his creation and the creation explains how he is and how people react. We can tell the story of the poor family, how he sought to befriend them. How he helped them, which they turned away from because of his appearance," Clary sounded indignant.

"That's because he's a monster. He murders because he is misunderstood and angry. He lashes out for no reason other than to torment the man who made him," Jace put in.

"Yes, he _became_ a monster, but only because people treated him so! Imagine what could have happened if Victor took _pride_ in his creation and _loved_ him! Victor owed him that much!" Clary's blood was boiling from the injustice that the creature had been given.

"Perhaps, but that's not what this assignment is about. It's about the monster. About his torment and his vicious actions. The creature, whether you like it or not, Clary is spiteful. The moment he doesn't get what he wants he goes off on a rampage! The only reason Victor even wanted to talk to his monster is because he murdered someone!" Jace disagreed with her.

"The creature is spiteful because no one has ever shown him any compassion! That's why this scene is so important, it shows the blind man, not able to see what he looked like, could reach to the _soul_ inside our creature. It shows the creature looking into the water and seeing his reflection, and becoming scared and horrified by it, understanding why people treat him so badly. Everyone focused on his looks and not the person inside! If he had just been treated with some damn _compassion_ he wouldn't have murdered anyone!" Clary slammed her hands down on the desk and the two people before her were silent.

She looked over and saw Isabelle staring at her, more people pointing and whispering and the librarian making her way over.

"Whatever, you're too damn stupid to understand," Clary snarked at Jace and she stood up, grabbing her stuff.

"Now who's not treating people with compassion," Jace snarled back.

"You don't freaking deserve it," she snapped, unthinking.

Jace was furious. He stood up, throwing his chair back and stepped so close to Clary, she had to crane her head up to look at his infuriated face. His eyes dark and angry, his mouth stretched back into a thin line, one side curling up in contempt.

"What? Just like Frankenstein's _monster?"_ he challenged her.

Clary's face heated up and she felt flustered as she realised her mistake.

"That's not—I didn't—"

"That's right, he wasn't a monster, was he?" he sneered. "Well guess what Clary, contrary to your belief. Regardless of how it happened—he was a monster. _People_ make _monsters_ and you never know what someone is capable of doing until you _push_ them." Jace poked her shoulder hard emphasising his point. "Until you make them _snap."_

"Jace..." Magnus warned with a note of a threat.

"Oh, shut up. I'm not going to hurt her. Contrary to what she may think, I'm not a monster," Jace snapped.

Clary's face was white and her body was trembling. Her green eyes were wide and he could see a faint glimmer of fear in their depths. Jace felt somewhat bad, he knew Clary hadn't really meant to insinuate he was a monster she just... she was naive. She didn't fully understand the monster. She painted him in some sorrowful, tragic light but all the tragedy in the world couldn't change the fact that the monster was dangerous. He realised then that he felt a kinship with the monster; Dr. Frankenstein's monster. He looked down at the book and grabbed it before pushing past Clary and leaving.

Clary took a deep breath and looked at Magnus. He was standing as well, his face twisted into a frown.

"Well… that could have gone worse," Clary laughed feebly.

"Excuse me! This is a _library_ a place where people come to _learn_ and expand their minds in _peace_ and _quiet! Not_ to come in and behave like _children_! _"_ The librarian, Tessa Gray, was appalled at their behaviour, it was plain to see.

"Sorry, we'll be leaving now. Sorry about the commotion, it won't happen again," Clary apologised meekly.

Ms. Gray's grey eyes fixed on her with a level glare.

"See that it doesn't," she warned before returning to her desk.

Clary gave Magnus a head nod and he nodded. Their study meeting was over.

"Hey guys, what'd I miss?"

They turned to Alec and dissolved in a fit of giggles, leaving him completely bewildered.


	8. Chapter 8

He still hadn't gotten a hang of his locker. Clary closed her locker to see Jace struggling with his still.

"What did you do to it this time?" Clary asked him amused.

He glared at her.

"I didn't do anything! It just doesn't want to open!" he growled in frustration punching it hard and splitting the skin over his knuckles.

"Jace! You're bleeding!" Clary gasped and reached out for him.

He shot her a curious and slightly confused look; keeping his hand out of her reach.

"Yeah, it's bleeding, so what?" he asked.

She looked at him weirdly.

"You have to flush it and disinfect it so it doesn't get infected," she said somewhat patronisingly.

"Aw, isn't this _cute?_ "

Clary immediately shut her face down and stepped back, seeing Kaelie appear by Jace's side.

"You didn't mention you had a locker next to _Clare Bear_ ," Kaelie simpered softly to Jace.

Jace frowned at Kaelie in confusion.

"You do not get to call me Clare Bear, Kaelie," Clary said quietly.

Jace turned to Clary starting to feel awkward, stuck between the two. Kaelie looked like she was going to flay Clary, Clary looking like she was going to tackle Kaelie.

"What's wrong, _Clare Bear_?" Kaelie mocked.

Jace found himself uncomfortable with the idea of Kaelie teasing Clary. She was for the most part a good person and didn't deserve to be mocked.

"Don't test me, _Kitty_ ," Clary threatened.

Kaelie's face darkened and Clary thought for sure if Jace wasn't there she would attempt to tear out Clary's throat. Jace smiled internally at Clary throwing it right back at Kaelie. His train of thought was cut off by Kaelie grabbing his neck and pretty much attaching herself like a leech to his mouth. She was cold and hard. No warmth at all and it wasn't all that pleasant—but Kaelie understood who he was, which is why he indulged her. She knew he expected her to be gone after some fun. He heard Clary laugh before Kaelie pulled away.

"Nice try Kaelie. Jace just remember what I warned you about," she said, with a big grin on her face.

Kaelie looked up at him in confusion. He shook his head at her, he had the distinct feeling Kaelie wouldn't appreciate being called an 'STD on legs'. Clary brushed by him as she passed and again, he felt that heat travel through his veins at the physical contact from her. He looked down at Kaelie and she was looking at him with what he supposed were meant to be innocent eyes. They looked more like shark pits to him but he didn't really care.

"Want to keep me company for a bit longer?" he whispered in her ear, his golden hair mixing with her platinum blonde.

She gave him a wicked smile as she took his hand and lead him away.

Clary sighed as Isabelle flopped down at lunch, throwing a pile of fliers everywhere.

"What's this?" Simon asked, grabbing a flier and then groaning—getting his answer.

"Homecoming!" Isabelle announced excitedly.

"Now why would I be interested in that?" Clary asked, teasingly.

Izzy set her coldest and most menacing glare down on both Simon and Clary, who cowered under it.

"You are _both_ going. You will _both_ have dates. You will _both_ come shopping with me for your outfits," she ordered them.

They both gulped in unison and nodded quickly. Izzy was scary. She gave them both a bright and bubbly smile.

"Wonderful! Anywho, I'm off to spread the good news around the school!" she declared and ran to every table dumping a bunch of fliers down.

Simon moaned next to Clary and she gave him a sympathetic look.

"We have to get dates… no one in the world would want to go to the dance with me," Simon groaned miserably.

"Why don't you ask Izzy?" Clary asked quietly.

Simon just scoffed at her.

"Yeah, right."

"You never know… maybe she'll say yes?" Clary tried to cheer him up.

"Oh, come off it Clary. Don't be stupid. She's freaking Isabelle Lightwood… and I'm… I'm just Simon," Simon muttered, staring longingly after Isabelle.

"Si, would Ragnar the Powerful XVI give up?" Clary asked, referring to his D&D character.

"Well, considering he is me then technically speaking—"

"Si," Clary cut him off.

He sighed defeatedly.

"No," he mumbled.

"Well then promise me you will ask her by the end of next week?" Clary pushed.

Simon nodded and gave her a weak smile.

"Make sure you have my coffin ready for when I die of embarrassment," Simon laughed.

Clary joined him.

"So who will you invite to the dance?" Simon asked her.

Clary shrugged. She herself couldn't think of anyone who would want to go to the dance with her.

"Maybe I'll ask Izzy myself," she teased him.

He gave her a 'yeah, whatever' look and raised an eyebrow.

"So there's no one you would like to ask to the dance?" Simon asked in surprise.

"Not really," Clary admittedly disappointed.

"Not even Sebastian? He was flirting with you pretty good the other day?" Simon suggested.

Clary blushed as she remember his eyes going over her small figure.

"No, Si. He goes with Kaelie every year," she reminded him.

"Yeah well, I figured she'd be going with Jace. They've been attached at the lips for quite some time now," Simon shrugged.

Clary pondered over that and for a moment she felt a flicker of excitement at going to a dance with _Sebastian_ but she quickly snuffed it out.

"No, Si. He wouldn't want to go with me," she said quietly.

"Why not?" he prodded.

She gave him a wistful smile.

"Why would he?"

He gave her a slight glare.

"You are beautiful, Clary. Even if you don't believe me. You're beautiful, smart, funny, loyal… he would be lucky to have you by his side," Simon said firmly.

She gave him a grateful smile and elbowed him gently.

"Thanks, Si."

Meanwhile, Izzy, under the guise of dispersing Homecoming fliers was trying to track down Sebastian. She found him at a water fountain and she smiled innocently at him.

"Hey Seb, Homecoming comin' up in a couple of weeks. Have you thought about who you'd like to take?" Izzy asked, handing him a flier.

He pushed his hair out of his eyes and took the flier, giving it a cursory look.

"Kaelie and I always go together," he said dismissively.

Izzy shrugged and gave him a sympathetic look.

"I just figured she would be with Jace..." she said softly.

Sebastian stopped and frowned, thinking it over for a moment.

"Yeah. I suppose you're right. I'll just ask Seelie," he shrugged.

Izzy's eyes widened momentarily as she didn't think of that.

"Jonny's going with her, I think. I mean, I thought I over heard him saying he was thinking of asking her," she quickly cut in, trying to sound casual.

Sebastian frowned again before smiling to himself.

"It's okay, I know who I'm going to ask," he said and strode off.

Izzy smiled wickedly, her work here was done.

"Clary!"

Clary turned around to see Jace jogging down the hall to meet her.

"Yes?" she asked expectantly.

"I just wanted to know when our next study meet was, seeing as we didn't go so well at the first one," Jace laughed slightly, running his hands through his hair.

Clary chuckled and looked at him sheepish.

"Yeah… Sorry about that, I kinda crossed a line. I'm sorry," she apologised sincerely.

Jace smiled at her.

"It's okay. I didn't exactly help the situation," he admitted.

Clary smiled.

"I think we're just as bad as each other, to be honest," she laughed.

He nodded in agreement. He regarded the curly red head in front of him and as she looked up at him with kind emerald eyes he realised what was happening.

"We're becoming friends," he blurted out, the shock bypassing his verbal filter.

Clary gave him a curious kind of smile.

"Of course, what did you expect?" she asked.

"I- I don't do friends," he said to her a slight tremor in his voice.

"Jace? You don't have to be scared of me," Clary said softly.

Jace looked at her and saw her eyes wide and accepting. She had no problems being his friend. She didn't know him though. She said she wasn't afraid but what if she heard what he had seen? What happened to his parents? What if she found out what he had done? He didn't want to think about that so he shut it down completely.

Clary saw the stone wall slam down in his eyes, the moment he thought it; but in the moment just before she saw a glimpse of him. The fear that consumed him. She had never seen anything like it before and she never wanted to. She couldn't understand how someone could live with that much fear and she wanted to help.

"Jace," she called softly, reaching out to touch his arm.

His eyes focused and went from a warm gold to impassive bronze.

"Don't touch me. We are not friends," he growled and shoved past her, nearly knocking her over.

Clary was mentally reeling from his mood change.

"I'm going to get whiplash one of these days," she grumbled as she shook her head.

"Clary! Wait!"

She turned to see Sebastian calling her name and jogging up to her.

"Yeah, what's up Seb?" she asked curiously.

 _What would Sebastian want with her twice in one week?_

"So, I was just wondering, did you have any plans for Homecoming?" he asked, giving her his signature grin.

Clary's heart skipped a beat and she couldn't stop the blood rushing to her face. Was Sebastian going to ask _her_ to Homecoming?

"Uh, not really. Isabelle's kinda forcing me to go," she laughed, trying to play it cool.

He gave her that grin again and Clary had to stop herself from behaving like a girl who had never seen a guy before.

"Well, I was hoping that maybe, instead of Isabelle _forcing_ you to go, you'd _want_ to go? Maybe with me?"

 _He asked her!_ Sebastian _asked_ her _to go to the dance!_ Clary felt like she was on Cloud 9, her first date with a guy in years!

 _Get it together, he's still waiting for your answer!_ Clary snapped at herself and she looked back up at Sebastian, who was waiting patiently for her.

"That sounds cool—um, good. Yeah, that's good. I am happy with that," Clary stammered.

Internally she was bashing her head against a wall for sounding like such an _idiot_ , but Sebastian was grinning widely at her.

"Great, let me know what colour your dress is and I'll get a tie to match," he told her and then leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek.

The cheek that was currently as red as a tomato. Clary nodded silently at him, unable to keep the smile from her face. His lips were warm and soft against her skin and she felt giddy at his affection.

"You know, you really are cute sometimes," Sebastian said, pulling back and starting to walk away.

The smile started to falter a little.

 _Sometimes?_

Before she could question it though, he was gone. She decided not to make anything of it and the smile returned to her face.

 _She was going to Homecoming with Sebastian Verlac!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Shout out to catastrophicmind for reviewing! You have made my night :)**

 **I am having immense trouble doing proper spacing between paragraphs at the moment so I'm back to hard enter. If anyone has any tips for me, I would greatly appreciate it!**

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"Izzy! Homecoming is not for another three weeks!" Clary groaned.  
Izzy just glared at her.  
"All the dresses will be sold by the last weekend so really we only have two weeks, and you're working for one of them, so this weekend is really the only weekend we have to go shopping," Isabelle pointed out.  
Clary huffed.  
"You promised you would go shopping with me," Isabelle reminded her.  
"I wouldn't so much call it a promise as much as being totally railroaded," Clary mumbled.  
"What was that?" Isabelle asked, testily.  
Clary gave her a wide grin.  
"Nothing," she responded cheekily.  
Isabelle smiled and shook her head.  
"Go, go get dressed! Something cute but easy to get in and out of," Isabelle instructed.  
Clary sighed and nodded, letting her friend in and going upstairs.

She dug through her clothes and pulled out a pair of black leggings and a long sleeved shirt dress. It had a thin strip of elastic along one side so it hugged her hips nicely and made her look taller. She grabbed a pair of black ankle boots and her bag before jogging back down to Izzy.  
"You're getting better at this," Izzy complimented as she took in Clary's choice of clothes.  
"What can I say, I learned from the best," Clary responded with a smile.

"Clare? Where are you going this early on a Saturday?"  
The girls turned to see a sleepy Jon descending the stairs. His white blonde hair was sticking up in all directions and his eyes were red rimmed from tiredness. Clary realised that she hadn't even told Jon that Sebastian asked her to the dance.  
"We're going shopping for Homecoming," Isabelle replied for her.  
"Homecoming? That's ages away," Jon yawned, as Clary turned to look at Isabelle pointedly.  
"It is three weeks. Clary is working next weekend and the dresses will all be sold by the next weekend so we only have one weekend left to get everything," Izzy explained.  
"Whatever you say, Clare, do you need any money?" he asked her.  
Clary gave him a grateful smile but shook her head.  
"No it's fine Jon, I'll just use some of my savings," she reassured.  
"Clare, that's for college, not dresses," Jon frowned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
Isabelle looked outraged.  
"Dresses are everything! Don't underestimate the power of a dress, it may even land Clary her spot as one of Alicante's power couples!" Isabelle said hotly.|  
Clary cringed as Jon's eyes focused on her.  
"What does she mean, 'power couple'?" he asked warningly.  
"Um. I meant to tell you earlier… but, um, SebastianaskedmetoHomecomingandIsaidyes," Clary quickly rushed out.  
Jon's eyes hardened and he folded his arms.  
"No," he said harshly.  
Clary felt her temper ignite as she stood up to him.  
"No? Jon, you can't stop me! You have _no_ say in who I go to a dance with, no say in who I may or may not date, no say in what I do with myself or my body!" Clary glowered at him.  
"But Sebastian—"  
" _No_. You do not get to ruin this for me," Clary growled.  
Jon sighed and held his hands up in defeat.  
"Okay, okay… fine. You would think he would ask me before asking out my little sister though," he grumbled, walking over to the kitchen bench.  
"Bye, Jon," Clary called.  
"Wait!" he called and jogged over.  
"Here, please don't touch your savings," he pleaded, pushing an extra fifty in her hands.  
Her eyes softened and she threw her arms around her brother.  
"He does _anything_ out of line and I will kill him," he murmured in her ear and she chuckled.  
"It's okay, I know enough self defence to incapacitate him," she joked.  
He gave her a smile and then ruffled her hair.  
"Ugh, brothers," Clary groaned trying to smooth down her now untameable hair.  
"You love me," Jon teased.  
"That's debatable," Clary muttered, walking down beside Izzy to her car.

"Okay, I have it all planned. We'll hit the shops until eleven, then we'll head for lunch for an hour, then back to the shops," Izzy said, as she drove into the city and parked the car.  
Clary refrained from groaning externally, instead she just bottled it up.  
"Izzy, I have to say, I'm a little afraid. I don't have the kind of stamina you do," Clary said a little hesitantly.  
"Don't worry, we'll make it through the day," Izzy reassured her.  
Clary took a deep breath and nodded, following Izzy as she led her into a big boutique store.  
"Hi, how can I help you today?" the sales lady asked Izzy with a bright smile.  
"Well, first off, I want to see everything couture you have available for homecoming, then if we find dresses I would like to see your shoe range, actually, I'll have a look at the shoe range anyway," Izzy laughed.  
The lady smiled at her and then looked at Clary. Clary shuffled her feet feeling very out of place in her casual outfit as the lady judged her.  
"And for your friend?" she asked pointedly.  
"Like I said, the couture range," Isabelle said icily, any friendliness towards the woman vanishing.  
Izzy never took too well to anyone judging her friends.  
The woman nodded meekly and gestured for them to follow.

An hour later and Clary had already tried on everything in the Petite range this store had without success.  
"Iz, let's go there's nothing in here, that we haven't already tried," Clary reasoned.  
"Indeed you are right. What a shame. Oh well, onto the next one!" Izzy said brightly.  
"Can we go to lunch?" Clary asked, her stomach starting to rumble.  
Izzy looked at the time and nodded.  
"Yes, it's a bit earlier than planned but it makes sense. There's no point leaving a store half way through trying on dresses," she laughed and walked breezily through the crowds of people to their favourite restaurant, Idris.  
"Isabelle! Clarissa! Lovely to see you ladies!" Ragnor Fell, the owner welcomed them.  
"Ragnor! It is wonderful to see you again! I see business is booming better than ever," Isabelle greeted.  
"Much better now, but there is always room for my two favourite ladies. Head on out to your table, I had a feeling you would be coming in today," he winked at them.  
Clary smiled and the girls moved on as Ragnor greeted the people behind them.

"Okay! So what is on the menu today?" Isabelle asked, opening her menu.  
"I think I'm just going to have my usual, coconut pancakes with peaches and cream," Clary said, not even opening hers.  
Isabelle glanced over the menu and nodded.  
"I think I'll have the same. I've never tried them," she admitted.  
Clary's mouth dropped.  
"Never?" she asked incredulously.  
"Should I have?" Izzy asked.  
"Absolutely, they're fluffy little cakes of heaven!" Clary cried out.  
Izzy giggled.  
"I didn't realise they were life changing," she teased.  
Clary just shook her head.  
"That's because you haven't had them before," she responded in kind.  
"Well then, you have to try the banana, mango and kiwi smoothie, it is honestly to die for," Izzy said seriously.  
"Deal."

They ordered and ate, both agreeing that was the best meal they'd had in a long time. Before Clary knew it they were back in another boutique, though she was in a much better mood now with food in her belly.  
"So Clary, what kind of look are you actually going for? I'm going for sexy and unattainable of course, but what about you?" Isabelle asked.  
Clary pondered for a moment, she didn't think she could pull off sexy, she just didn't have the same kind of features as Isabelle, the legs, the body, the height, the face. She didn't want to be cute though. Cute was a 5 year old child smiling with a missing tooth.  
"Pretty. I want to be pretty," Clary confessed to Izzy.  
Izzy's eyes softened at her best friend and she gave her a smile.  
"But you already are, Clary," she said quietly.  
"I want other people to notice and think so. I want them to think, 'wow', like... maybe I could look like someone who actually deserves someone like Sebastian," Clary admitted, breezing past what Izzy had said.  
Isabelle smiled.  
"I can do that. I will make sure that when you enter—all eyes on you," Izzy promised.  
Clary looked up at her shyly and smiled.  
"Thanks, Iz," she said quietly.  
She had never been more grateful for going shopping with her best friend than she was now.  
"But just so you know, you more than deserve someone like Sebastian. It's he who has to work to deserve you."

Isabelle dumped a bunch of dresses in her hands and demanded she go try them on. Clary did so without a fuss. She kicked off her boots and pulled off her top, leaving her tights on. She threw the first dress over her head and slid into it. It was a mint green number with embellishments under the bust, over the sweetheart neckline and the straps over her shoulders. The chiffon skirt fell to just below mid thigh and Clary felt a little uncomfortable. She walked out of the cubicle for Isabelle's judgement.  
Isabelle looked at her and frowned slightly.  
"It's nice, you look pretty but… it's just not… wowing me, sorry Clary," Isabelle sighed.  
Clary nodded, and went back into the cubicle, silently sighing in relief.

The next dress she tried on was marbled, with sky blue, a rich purple and white. It had a purple sash across her waist on on the right a spiralling of jewels. It was quite pretty on the hanger but the moment it went on her, Clary blanched. It clashed in all sorts of ways with her skin and hair. Nevertheless she walked out for Isabelle.  
"No."  
Clary had barely stepped out of the cubicle before Isabelle sent her right back in.

The next dress had a black bodice with spaghetti straps and a thin v neckline that plunged to her navel with a nude modesty panel. The skirt was some kind of satin-y material and was black with big pinky-red roses on it. Clary hated it. She hated how it plunged and how low the back went. She stepped out and Isabelle smiled.  
"That dress makes you look taller," she approved.  
Clary gave her a flat look.  
"I came out to be polite. It's a no from me," Clary grumbled.  
Izzy sighed and waved her hand, sending her back in.

Clary shrugged the dress off and reached for the next one and frowned. It looked exactly the same except it had sleeves? She slid the sleeves off the hanger and the skirt stayed while the top came off. Clary looked at it surprised. A shirt and a skirt? She thought Izzy wanted her to wear a dress. She shrugged and tried both on. The top exposed both her shoulders and was too short to reach the skirt so a little bit of skin was showing and she was extremely self conscious about it. She did like how it looked but didn't think she could wear it to Homecoming.  
"Oh Clary, that looks beautiful on you! Please! Your skin and your hair are just made for that," Isabelle pleaded as Clary walked out.  
Clary bit her lip and fingers the hem of the skirt which came down to just above her knee. She did feel pretty.

"Oh, _biscuit!_ " Clary whirled around to see Magnus staring at her.  
"That is the dress sweetheart. Just, wow. Isabelle, it is a criminal offence if she doesn't buy that!" Magnus informed her.  
The Clary in front of him looked elegant and beautiful. The skin that was exposed was done tastefully and with her pale skin she simply glowed against the black material.  
"You look delectable," Magnus reassured as Clary blushed pink.  
He walked over and pulled her hair tie out ignoring Clary's protests. He quickly did a rough updo and secured it with the hair tie. He then quickly braided a small section of hair and wrapped it around, tucking the end underneath and stepped back.  
It was very messy and nearly about to fall apart but it was enough to get an idea of what to do.  
"Add some pretty dangly earrings and she is set," he said, mostly to Isabelle.  
"Magnus, she is going to steal the show," Isabelle sighed happily.  
"Indeed she will," he said quietly standing next to her, both looking on at Clary like proud parents.


	10. Chapter 10

**Shout out to Tuffin and our lovely Guest for reviewing! You rock my socks off!**

 **Also, what happens to Clary in this chapter has happened to me. Well, most of it anyway.  
Is this new/old formatting easier to read?**

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The week passed quickly and before Clary knew it, it was Saturday and she was at work.  
"Hi, welcome to Taki's! My name's Clary how can—"  
"Water for the table please." Clary was cut off by the customer waving her hand dismissively at her. They were a family of five, a Mom, Dad and three kids; one about 6 years old, and two twins about 16 years old.  
"Of course," she said politely.  
She walked off and grabbed a cold bottle of water and five glasses with ice. She set them on a tray and walked back.  
"Here you go, anything else I can get for you?" Clary asked.  
The table completely ignored her, faces either in menus or on phones and she nodded, knowing her cue to move along. She took about five steps before a whistle stopped her.  
"Hey! Waitress! Hey you!"  
Clary closed her eyes and thought only of the money. She turned around with a smile on her face.  
"Yes?" she asked walking back.  
"I don't want ice. Take it back," the lady instructed her.  
Clary nodded and took the glass away, she went back over to the bar and threw the ice in the sink and the glass on the dish tray to be cleaned. She grabbed a new glass and brought it over for the lady.  
"There you go, is there anything else I can do for you?" Clary asked politely.  
The lady didn't even acknowledge her. Clary counted to fifty in her head before anyone even realised she was still there. The man next to the lady gave her an annoyed look and waved his hand at her, sending her away. Clary resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was half tempted to get down on all fours and pee on their shoes like the dog they were treating her as.  
Clary managed to make it to the front and seat a customer before the family waved her down.  
"Excuse me! You didn't take our order! Are you always this rude to your customers?!" The lady cried indignantly.  
Clary wanted to scream at them but kept her cool.  
"I'm so sorry Ma'am. I asked if you needed anything and your partner waved me away. I assumed you weren't ready yet," Clary apologised.  
"You should have waited for confirmation from me!" the lady glared at her like she had personally offended her.  
"I am so sorry Ma'am it won't happen again. What would you like to order?" Clary asked.  
"Don't _push_ me to decide! I am still browsing! God, do all of you service people have to be so pushy?" she lady asked disgustedly.  
Clary's nose twitched as she fought to control her temper.  
"I am sorry. I will return in three minutes to see if you would like to order," Clary said politely but slowly so the lady would understand her.  
She huffed and stuck her face back in the menu. Clary growled under her breath and shook all murderous thoughts from her mind as she went to the front to seat a boy.

She was surprised to find out the boy was Jace. His golden hair was curling around the collar of his leather jacket and there was a motorcycle helmet under his arm. She was surprised to find out he rode; she figured he was a Corvette or a Mustang kinda guy.  
"What are you doing here?" his voice held a note of incredulity to it as he looked her up and down.  
Clary tugged at the hem of her uniform, it was a mid length plain, black, pleated skirt with a white button up top. She was annoyed at the familiarity in his voice. He had been avoiding and flat out ignoring her the entire week. He only spoke to her if he had to and had come late to every class to avoid any locker conversations.  
Great, just what she needed with the family from hell here as well.  
"Welcome to Taki's! My name is Clary and I'll be your waitress for the day. If you come with me I'll seat you and take your drink order," she gave him her usual speech with a bright and bubbly voice, betraying none of her emotions.  
"I know who you are," he said lowly as he followed her to a table by a window.  
She turned to him, ignoring his comment, and gave him a bright smile, giving him a drink menu and a food menu. He sat and quickly perused the drinks menu deciding on a Salted Caramel Chiller.  
"I'll be right back to with your drink and to take your order," she told him and turned curtly away from him.

She headed back to the family from hell and she gave them a warm smile.  
"So, what can I get for you lovely folks today?" she asked brightly.  
The lady looked at her horrified and turned to her partner.  
"She's uneducated… That's why she's such a terrible waitress, she doesn't know how to behave," she said quietly, but not quietly enough.  
Clary's smile faltered.  
"What's gluten free? I'm trying a new diet," the lady asked her slowly.  
Clary gritted her teeth at the ladies tone.  
"All of our burgers and sandwiches can be made with gluten free bread at and additional cost of $2, aside from that, the rice dishes are all gluten free, the soup, the salads. All the grilled items can be made gluten free with no extra costs," Clary answered.  
" _Two dollars extra?!_ " the lady near screeched.  
Clary was shocked, no one had ever reacted like that.  
"That is outrageous! Why do you charge so much! Gluten free bread is only an extra dollar at the store! You are taking advantage of people, exploiting us because we want to be healthy!" she launched into a tirade.  
Clary wanted the Earth to swallow her up as nearly the entire diner turned to look at her and the pterodactyl in front of her.  
"I-I'm sorry Ma'am, but I don't make the prices," Clary tried to calm her.  
She looked to the children and the father for help but they were all otherwise occupied. This obviously happened a lot.  
"You wouldn't know how to, would you," the woman sneered.  
Clary wanted to hit her and she had never wanted to strike anyone before.  
"Yes Ma'am. I'm an absolute imbecile who has no business working here. You're right," Clary shot back.  
The woman stared at her in shock and then gave her a disparaging look.  
"I will have the beef salad with no tomato, no noodles—I'm gluten free, and hold the dressing. Don't forget to tell the chef I'm gluten free—that's important. My husband will have the steak sandwich, cooked medium rare, the chips cooked properly. The youngest will have fish and chips, and the twins will have bolognaise and alfredo. They both will have a side of chips each. Thank you that's all we need," she listed and then waved her off again.  
Clary was just relieved to have their order finally.

She pushed through the doors to the kitchen and placed the order in the kitchen.  
"Order in, and they're assholes, so please make sure everything is right," Clary pleaded.  
The chef, Amatis nodded and gave her a sympathetic look.  
"I heard one table went ape, sorry that you got stuck with them."  
"Ehh, I'll just add a rude tax on their docket or something," Clary laughed.  
"If only it was that easy," Amatis laughed ruefully.  
"We can dream, right?" Clary called out as she left the kitchen.  
"The Salted Caramel is up," Helen Blackthorne called to her, pouring it into a milkshake glass and adding whipped cream and caramel sauce over the top.  
"Thanks," Clary said gratefully, grabbing the drink and making her way over to Jace.  
"Here's your drink, do you want to order anything yet?" Clary asked him politely.  
"Thanks, so that table's kind of a dick table," Jace commented to her.  
She gave him a tight smile, she may not like the people but she certainly wasn't going to trash talk them to anyone but her co-workers. They understood what it was like.  
"If you're not ready to order that's okay, I'll come back in a couple of minutes," Clary said to him.  
She was not going to be all buddy—buddy with Jace if he was barely even going to acknowledge her existence.  
"No, no, I'm ready to order. I'll have the coconut pancakes, please and thank you," he said, looking up at her.  
"My favourite," she commented, giving him a small smile.  
He returned it, but slightly bigger.  
"Must be good then," he remarked.  
"The best," she corrected.  
She slid her notepad and pen away in her apron and walked away to place his order.

She had gotten within earshot of the rude table and could hear the teens snickering over something. She rolled her eyes, _boys will be boys._ However, when she passed the table she felt a hand sneak up her skirt and squeeze her ass. She yelped and jumped, whirling around to see the boys playing innocent, whistling and facing away from her. The lady looked up from her phone and glared at her.  
"What's taking the food so long?" she snapped.  
Clary's mouth dropped in indignation as the boys snickered and gave her sneaky looks. She glared at them, her mouth pressed in a tight line.  
Jace was the only one who had noticed the altercation and he had an angry frown on his face. He hated it when people invaded other people's personal space and assaulted them like that.  
Clary was so angry and frustrated her hands were shaking. Helen looked over at her concerned.  
"Do you want to take a break?" she offered.  
"No, means those arrogant, self entitled, annoying, perverted little pricks win," Clary muttered.  
Helen gave her a pitying smile.  
"Well for what it's worth if you punch them out I'll conveniently go to the bathroom so I don't see anything," Helen laughed.  
Clary joined her and smiled.  
"I like the sound of that," she joked.

Another ten minutes passed and Clary avoided that table like the plague so as not to get groped again. _Ding!_ Clary looked over and groaned. It was that table's order. She picked it up and walked over. She gave the steak sandwich to the man, the fish and chips to the young boy and the beef salad to the lady. She walked back and grabbed the pastas.  
"Now who was having the Alfredo?" she asked politely.  
The teen on the left gestured so she gave it to him and gave the bolognaise to the other.  
"Thanks Dollface," the one on the right said, blowing her a kiss and winking.  
Clary couldn't hold back the shudder.  
"Where are the boy's chips?" the lady snapped.  
"Just up on the shelf, I'm about to go get them," Clary answered.  
She grabbed the chips and set them down in front of the boys.  
"There we go, that should be everything, is there anything else you need?" Clary asked.  
"Where's my dressing?" she snapped.  
Clary gave her a confused look.  
"You asked us to hold it?" Clary questioned.  
"Yes. _On the side_ ," the woman said patronisingly, enunciating each word like she was stupid.  
Clary gritted her teeth and gave her a tense smile.  
"Of course. Anything else?" she checked.  
"No, now get my dressing," the woman said impatiently.  
Clary nodded and left for the kitchen. She quickly grabbed down a serving boat and poured some dressing in. She made sure that there was enough in there so she didn't have to come back. She returned to the table and gave the dressing to the lady.  
"Is that all?"  
"My son wants tomato sauce with his fish," the lady instructed.  
There was always something. Clary nodded tiredly and went back to get a rammekin of tomato sauce. She brought it back and smiled faintly.  
"My other sons want gravy with their chips," the lady ordered, not even looking at her.  
"Of course they do," Clary muttered.

The boys just snickered and she she passed, one stuck a foot out and she nearly went sprawling to the floor, her uniform skirt flying up in the process. The boys nearly howled with laughter and Clary wanted to throttle them as her face heated up with embarrassment.  
She returned a moment later with their gravy and as she leaned over to put it on the table one of the boys decided to slap her ass this time and Clary spilled the gravy, all over the table.  
" _You stupid girl!_ " the woman reached decibel levels higher than Isabelle could and Clary cringed from the pain. "Can you not do a _single thing right?!_ Can _n_ _o_ _one_ give good service any more?!"  
Clary had had enough.  
"Maybe if you didn't have brats for children and had some manners you would get better service," she snapped.  
"They have ADHD I can't control them!" she exclaimed.  
"No, bad parenting is what it is! Hiding behind ADHD is a joke, and an insult for those _with_ ADHD. Get your damn shit together," Clary lectured.  
"Like you can talk you trailer trash, uneducated, stupid girl, have your own children and then you can lecture me," the lady spat.  
Clary's fists clenched and her face went as red as her hair.  
"I don't need my own children to know that you're doing something wrong when you allow your children to _molest service workers_ ," Clary's voice was completely level, which betrayed just how angry she was.  
The lady scoffed.  
"My children don't do that," she rebuked. "Now clean up your mess."  
The two boys were nearly in tears from laughter.  
"Yeah, we have ADHD, she can't control us!" they snickered.  
Clary glowered down at them. She wouldn't say it but she really hoped they would choke on their pasta. She turned to leave, to get a cloth when she heard a shout.  
"Here! You forgot something!"  
She turned and froze as a handful of spaghetti and bolognaise sauce splattered on her shirt, face and in her hair.  
They all started to laugh and Clary couldn't handle it any more. She just turned and walked straight through to the alley out the back.

Jace was angry, he was mad at the table for disrespecting Clary so blatantly. He stood up and walked over to where they were laughing and enjoying their meals.  
"I think it's time you left," he said quietly, crossing his arms over his chest.  
"What?" the mother snapped.  
The table became silent. He could feel the eyes of everyone in the diner watching him.  
"I said it's time to leave. Otherwise you will find out _exactly_ what is on my juvie record and why," he bluffed.  
He stared down impassively at them and she was staring at him in horror.  
"You have 60 seconds," he said.  
"What? You can't!" she tried to bluster.  
"Fifty-five… fifty-four… fifty-three," he trailed off, signalling he wasn't kidding.  
He found it amazing for 'kids she couldn't control' she had them packed up and gone in seconds. He heard the diner clap and he frowned. They may have not liked the table and wanted them gone but none of them stopped to help so in his mind they were just as bad. He ignored them and walked over to the bar where a girl with short black hair and green eyes was looking at him wide eyed.  
"I want to pay their tab," he said.  
She nodded silently and rang it all up for him.  
He pulled out an American Express credit card and read the total and added a $100 tip.  
"Credit please," he said quietly.  
Her eyes widened at the tip he was leaving but nodded all the same. He entered his card and the pin waiting patiently.  
"Where's Clary?" he asked quietly.  
"In the alley out the back," she said equally as quiet.  
"May I go back through?" he asked.  
She nodded.  
"Thank you," he said and left her.


	11. Chapter 11

**I want to say something quickly before moving onto shout outs. I have been trying to keep 1-2 chapters ahead to keep up with the fast updating(usually writing a chapter as I'm updating), however this is the last pre-written chapter I have. I didn't write at all yesterday, I've been pretty upset because my puppy(the one on my profile) is in the vets and I just haven't been able to focus. I'm hoping that changes today and I get back on schedule(my baby comes home in a couple of hours!). I just wanted to inform you why I didn't update yesterday. Anywho, onto the good stuff!**

 **Wow, I am just absolutely blown away by the response from the last chapter! Thank you all so much! You have made my week pretty much!  
** **Shout outs to: vimto474, our lovely Guest, reemarie36, Soccerpup17, catastrophicmind, WeirdACE and Tuffin!**

 **To everyone who reads, follows and favourites, thank you! Thank you so much!**

* * *

As Jace walked through the kitchen he grabbed a wet rag and two towels that he saw abandoned. He spied a door through the back and he quietly slipped through. The first thing he heard was a light sniffling and then his gaze fell upon the tiny redhead, sitting on some steps, her head in her hands. Her shoulders were shaking slightly and she she absently wiped the back of her hand over her face. He felt his rage at that family rise up like a wave and he fought it back.

"Clary?" Jace asked gently, so not to startle her.  
Her head snapped up as she stood and turned at him. She had spaghetti stuck to her top, tangled through her hair; bolognaise sauce, complete with bits of ground beef had made a large splash on her white top and it had splattered up onto her face. He could see clear tracks down her cheeks where she had been crying and he felt a faint twinge in his gut.  
"What do _you_ want? Come to stare at the little redhead covered in red sauce? Go ahead! Laugh, take pictures! Do whatever you want because I don't care!" she yelled at him her hands flying wildly around her.

Jace just stared impassively at her and saw straight through her. She was angry, frustrated and lashing out. Her forehead was scrunched up, her eyes glowering and her hands clenched in fists by her side. She was standing tall and strong, like she was about to kick his ass. He understood, he was the same. He just simply held out the damp cloth. She stopped mid-tirade to look up at him. Her eyes were surprised and grateful.  
"Thank you," she said softly, taking the damp cloth and wiping her face clear of bolognaise sauce.  
Her animosity was draining by the second. He gave her a small smile.  
"I can't imagine you like tomato that much you want to be wearing it for the rest of the day," he said quietly.  
She gave a half laugh.  
"Not really…" she sighed in frustration. "I can't believe I have to go back out there and _face_ those brats!"  
Jace shuffled his feet, feeling slightly awkward but at the same time pleased.  
"Actually—they left, just after you did," Jace informed her.  
Her eyes widened in surprise and a smile spread on her face.  
"You're kidding?"  
"No, they just… got up and left. Maybe they felt bad or something? I don't know," Jace lied.  
He didn't know why but he didn't want Clary knowing he was the one who scared them off.  
She sighed in relief.  
"I think that's the best news I've gotten for a long time," she told him, an easy smile spread across her face.

"Do you deal with people like that often?" he asked, sitting down on the step.  
She grabbed a towel and started to dry her face and rub the rest of the sauce off.  
"Not that bad. Not normally. Sometimes we get people that are handsy, or they're extraordinarily fussy or what ever, but I've never had a table that bad before," Clary admitted to him.  
She sat on the step next to him and looked down at her hands.  
"I've never been called stupid either. Maybe they've thought it, but no one has said it before," Clary said quietly.  
Jace couldn't understand why she was doubting herself just because of the words of one horrible woman.  
"Clary, don't second guess yourself because one horrible person says something, you are so much better and smarter than they know. You're one of the smartest people I know in fact," Jace said softly, reassuring.  
Clary blushed and smiled at him.  
"Thanks, I just... I _hate_ people underestimating me and I _especially_ hate people who just think they can touch me and grope me when they want," Clary added, becoming angry again.  
Jace's fists clenched and she noticed.  
"I wanted to break all of their fingers," he admitted to her.  
He immediately felt uncomfortable, like a weight was now pressing on his chest and his heart began to beat faster. He hadn't meant to share that the boys irritated him and that he had wanted to defend her. He hadn't meant to share that he cared. He was meant to be a machine. Unfeeling—uncaring.  
"I wanted to do worse. I wanted to shove them in the oil fryer in the back and have a new special. Fried perverted pig," she growled.  
He felt able to breathe a bit better as she breezed past what he had said. His shoulders relaxed slightly and he studied her. She looked a bit more normal, a bit more relaxed now that she'd had a time out and wiped away most of the pasta. Though there was a smudge of sauce by her right eyebrow and a lone spaghetti strand lost in her hair. The sight of it amused him greatly, just the juxtaposition of the limp noodle against the wildness of her red hair that seemed to defy gravity at times.

Without thinking he reached up to remove the noodle and as he did so her emerald green eyes focused on him while he was distracted. He tried pulling at the pasta but just seemed to tangle it more so he used his other hand to gently pull her hairs away from the pasta. He was surprised at how soft her hair was. He had imagined it to be somewhat coarse, more like straw, but it wasn't. It felt almost like he was running a satin ribbon through his fingers, he never wanted to stop. He felt his heartbeat accelerate slightly and he paused for a moment to calm down, before pulling the last of the noodle away from her hair.

During the extraction he had been subconsciously leaning in, to get better angles and views on how to free the pasta but now he was dangerously close to this girl with the endless green eyes. He could feel her breath ghosting over his face, a mix of sweet mint and coffee; it was strangely intoxicating. Her lips were parted just slightly, enough for him to notice the wounds that she had made while trying to behave for the Devil Family. Her eyes though… they were boring into him with a dangerous amount of intensity, but even as his whole body screamed at him to move, he couldn't. He was frozen by her searching look. He could see in her eyes that she wanted something; something he couldn't give her. But in that moment, he found that he wanted to. He wanted to kiss her so hard she would only ever break away for air, he wanted to hold her—to feel the warmth and silky smooth texture of her skin against his, to let her in—he wanted to share himself and his experiences with her.

His thoughts were like a cold bucket of water being thrown over him. He gasped and reeled back from her. He hadn't even known how close they were getting, if he had leaned in just a couple more inches it would have been all over. He stood up suddenly, feeling his flight instincts kick in. His breath was shaky and his whole body was trembling. This girl, Clary, she would be the death of him. He couldn't explain it. It was like a magnet drawing him in. He was cold and closed off, she was open and burned as hot as fire.

"Jace..."  
Her voice, slid into his subconscious, snapping him out of it.  
Those green eyes, glimmering faintly with hurt, were imploring him.  
"I-I have to go," he stuttered and he cursed himself.  
Since when did he stutter? He was Jace freaking Wayland!  
"Jace, don't… don't shut me out," she pleaded with him.  
His mouth felt like a desert and nausea was trying to hitch a ride up his throat.  
"I-I can't, Clary, I've gotta go," he stuttered, stepping away from her and ironically away from his exit.  
"Jace, I won't hurt you," she said softly.

 _Hurt me?_ He thought.  
All he could see was his mother lying in a pool of blood, his own hands stained red as his ten year old brain tried to comprehend what had happened.  
Next came the image of the falcon.  
After that was the image of his father, leaving him as a sixteen year old alone in an empty apartment.  
Anyone whom he had ever loved had died or left him. It had been his fault every time. He was never going to go through that or subject anyone else to that again he had vowed. Even now he felt the agonising pain twist through his guts from each incident and he felt physically ill. He needed to go, but now Clary was standing in front of him and had her hands outstretched but low and reassuring, like he was a wild animal.

"It's okay, Jace, I promise," she tried to soothe him.  
He looked down at her, at her impossible green eyes and stepped back as she stepped forwards. His whole body felt taut, ready to flee at the first chance he got.  
"Jace, I promise," she whispered, her eyes radiating sincerity.  
"No Clary. You can't promise that," he said lowly.  
 _To love is to destroy._ The phrase circled around his head like a mantra, picking up momentum. _To love is to destroy… to love is to destroy. To love is to destroy. Toloveistodestroy, toloveistodestroytoloveistodestroytoloveistodestroy._

He could hardly breathe from the boulder in his throat. His whole body was shaking, his breaths shallow and fast, he could feel moisture starting to build up behind his eyes. He needed to be alone, to recover himself.  
"Please... please, let me go," he whispered to Clary, retreating further from her short figure.  
Clary stopped dead, her eyes sad.  
"Jace, I just want to help," she pleaded, trying to break through to him.  
"You can't fix me," he said to her, his eyes finally returning to hers.  
"You should at least let me try."  
Jace squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath to try and centre himself to get him through the next two minutes until he could disappear on his bike.  
"Please, please don't," he begged her.  
Jace Wayland, begging Clary Morgenstern. He knew a couple of girls who would've loved to see him begging.

Clary sighed defeatedly and her shoulders slumped. Jace peeked an eye open and he saw his passageway to freedom and immediately snatched it. He raced past Clary, through the kitchen and to his booth. He grabbed his helmet and stopped by the counter throwing a fifty down and high tailing it to his bike.


	12. Chapter 12

**Update on my puppy: he is okay! He went in for the snip and apparently had a slight reaction to the anaesthetic so they wanted to keep him overnight under observation but all is okay and my baby is with me now! Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes for my baby, you warm my heart! x**

 **Shout outs to RomitriandClace, cait418448, WeirdACE, Tuffin, Reemarie36!**

* * *

"So Clare Bear, how was work?" her brother asked, not looking up, as she walked through the door.  
"Terrible," she answered flatly, kicking off her shoes.  
He glanced up and upon seeing her stained shirt, leapt off the couch.  
"What the hell happened?" he demanded.  
"Oh. Just a table from hell," she responded sarcastically cheerful.  
He scowled.  
"What did they do?" he asked.  
"Oh, nothing much. Just tripped me, groped me, called me stupid, went _berserk_ over gluten free bread, and blamed it all on ADHD," Clary spat out.  
Jon's eyes darkened and he let out a low growl.  
"They touched you?"  
Clary looked up at him and he was furious. His face was set in a stone cold mask, his arms crossed against his chest, his biceps flexing. He looked ready to kill.  
"Yeah. Stupid sixteen year olds, apparently they have 'ADHD' so their mother just lets them do whatever they want," she scoffed.  
Jon's nose flared.  
"I will kill them. I will _personally_ tear off their toenails and make them eat them," he growled.  
"It's okay Jon, I highly doubt I will ever see them again," Clary reassured him.  
He exhaled hard and wrapped his arms around her protectively.  
"I'm sorry people are such pricks, particularly my kind," he apologised.  
Clary wrapped her arms around him gratefully. She loved her big brother so much, and appreciated his concern for her.  
"It's okay, I can deal with a couple of horny sixteen year olds. Their mother though, ugh. She was awful," Clary sighed.  
"Did they at least tip you?"  
Clary's brows furrowed.  
"That's where it gets weird… Jace came out after me and he said that they left of their own accord but Helen said that he made them leave and then paid the bill _and_ gave me a hundred dollar tip, that's weird right?" she asked, looking up at Jon.  
His arms tightened around her slightly.  
"Jace?" he asked, the name sounding foreign.  
"Yeah, the new kid."

Jon stepped back and held Clary out at arms length. He studied her carefully, which is when he realised that his little sister was growing up. Her face—which he remembered as childlike was much more like their mothers now, and her body was filling out. He began to realise that boys were now going to be finding her attractive. He hadn't even thought about her and boys because she had all but sworn them off after Raphael.  
"He made them leave?" he asked.  
Clary looked at him and his face was unreadable, his voice low and unsure.  
"Yeah, that's what Helen said. She said that it was time for them to leave and within seconds they were gone," she explained.  
"And he paid their bill?"  
"All $120 worth."  
"And left a tip?"  
"Yeah, a hundred dollars, who does that?" she asked him.  
She could see the gears turning in his head and she wondered what he was thinking.  
"You said he said they left of their own accord?" he asked.  
She nodded in response. Jon frowned slightly.

 _What the hell was 'Jace' playing at?_ He wondered. The name Jace was like a bad taste in his mouth. He had given in to Clary when she said she was going to Homecoming with Sebastian, he knew Seb and he was a good guy. A stand up guy, someone he believed would do the right thing by him and his sister. This Jace kid though, he had no idea about him. Didn't know him from a bar of soap and he didn't like that. It sounded like this kid was trying to make a move on his sister and that did not bode well. Jon vowed that he would find out more about this Jace person.  
"Jon? Are you having an aneurysm?" Clary asked.  
He looked nearly constipated, his face all screwed up and nose scrunched up.  
"Huh?" he asked, focusing back on her.  
"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. I'm glad that Jace got rid of that table for you," he strained.  
Clary nodded.  
"Me too, I really hated that table. Anyway, I'm going upstairs to get rid of the _eau du tomato_ smell," Clary laughed and Jon smiled.  
"Good, I was about to suffocate," he teased.  
Clary just punched him in response.  
"Butt munch," she grumbled and Jon stuck his tongue out.

Jace was just closing his locker when he felt large hands turn him around and push him back into the lockers.  
"What the hell, man?!" he yelled, in shock.  
He saw Sebastian Verlac standing with Jonathan Morgenstern and Jordan Kyle. All guys from his year, all built from football and all trapping him.  
"What exactly do you think of my sister?" Jonathan demanded.  
He was clearly the instigator of this interrogation. Sebastian looked bored and Jordan looked tired while Jonathan was crystal clear and on a warpath.  
"I dunno, she's nice?" he responded warily.  
"'Nice'?" Jonathan asked.  
Jace shrugged. What else did this guy want him to say?  
"Is that why you got rid of her table?"  
"Hey! I was doing her a favour! They were horrible people!" Jace defended angrily.  
Jonathan's eyes narrowed as he tried to judge Jace and his character.  
"Oh?"  
"They were some of the worst people I've ever had the displeasure of being near. Did she tell you they assaulted her? That they kept touching her? That they tripped her to see her fall and her skirt fly up? And that the mother went bat shit _insane_ when she asked about gluten free?" Jace demanded. "They deserved a whole lot worse than being told to leave."

Jon wanted to smile at that. Jace seemed like a good enough guy. Good enough to stand up for his sister at least. He leaned back slightly, less aggressive but Sebastian and Jordan were now more interested.  
"They attacked her?" Sebastian asked.  
Jace's eyes flickered over to him and then back at Jonathan, unsure if he should tell them or if he should protect Clary's privacy.  
"Yeah, Clary told me they smacked her ass," Jonathan said.  
"They reached up her damn skirt and freaking groped her," Jace growled, becoming angry at the thought again.  
"They _groped_ her?!"Jon demanded, his eyes momentarily going black in fury.  
"Yeah, they're little self entitled assholes, and I just couldn't take it any longer so I told them to leave. I didn't want Clary being subjected to any more of that," Jace admitted cautiously.  
Jon eyed him critically as he was talking and decided that he liked him. He had stood up for Clary, made sure she was still paid for her efforts and obviously cared for her. His eyes narrowed slightly at the thought. He just had to make sure he didn't care for her _too_ much, not until he had at least passed all of his requirements.

"Thanks."  
Jace's eyes widened microscopically at the sound of Jonathan's voice.  
"I don't want thanks, it's not something that should be thanked. It should be natural response," Jace said warily.  
Jonathan's face relaxed slightly and he smiled at him.  
"I have decided you are okay. You should hang with us at lunch," Jonathan offered.  
"Jon, I'm gonna go find Clary, catch you in class," Sebastian said to Jon, slapping him on the back.  
"Yeah, okay man," Jon said as Sebastian walked off.  
"So what do you have now?" Jonathan asked him.  
Jace looked at him warily, unsure about the sudden friendliness.  
"Uh, Metalworking? Why?" he asked.  
"I just wondered if we had the same class, that's all. Apparently we don't so I'll catch you at lunch!" Jonathan said cheerfully and walked off.  
"Well that was weird," he muttered, grabbing what he needed and walking off.

"Clary, are you okay?"  
Clary turned and saw Sebastian coming up beside her and she gave him a curious smile.  
"Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?" she asked him.  
"Jon told me what happened at work and I just wanted to check that you were in fact, okay," Sebastian said, falling in step with her.  
Clary shook her head.  
"Honestly it's okay, nothing I can't handle," she said, brushing it off.  
Sebastian frowned and stopped her.  
"But it shouldn't have happened and I just..." he trailed off.  
She looked over him and saw he was obviously distressed.  
"Hey, I'm okay. Nothing really bad happened," she reassured him, resting her hand on his arm.  
"I know, I just. They make me mad. What the hell makes someone think they can just… _do_ that to you?!" he demanded.  
Clary smiled and stood up on her tip toes to press a kiss to his cheek.  
"Thank you for caring so much, I agree, but there's nothing that can be done about it now. All we need to do is teach the younger generation respect and personal boundaries," she said softly.  
Sebastian looked down at her surprised but happy, with a smile.  
"You are something, you know that, Clary Morgenstern?"  
She blushed a bright red.  
"Do you know what colour tie I need yet?" he asked her.  
"Black and red," she informed him.  
He looked down at her and smiled.  
"Perfect," he murmured and then pressed his lips to her temple, leaving her speechless.  
"See you at lunch, Clary," he grinned.  
Her face was bright red and a smile was printed over her face and she was feeling giddy.  
"'Kay, see you Seb," she said, shyly.

Down the hall Jace had seen the whole exchange and he felt his gut roil but he had no reason to feel that way. He had shoved Clary away many times, and someone as beautiful as her deserved to be with someone like Sebastian. He might be new but he knew exactly who Sebastian Verlac was. Rich, talented, athletic… not a messed up piece of crap like he was. He looked down defeatedly and frowned.  
Why did he care anyway? He didn't want her near him. She was dangerous, she would destroy him. The squeezing around his heart as she kissed his cheek and he kissed hers betrayed him though and he turned away, heading in the opposite direction.  
"Kaelie," he murmured, finding the platinum blonde girl.  
"Jace, baby, need someone to take care of you?" she purred.  
He looked at her and she smirked.  
"I will take very good care of you," she murmured sensually in his ear.  
She grabbed his hand and lead him to a closet before attacking him. He behaved as he should, saying and doing all the right things, but he could only think of two things. Endless green eyes and flame red hair. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to shake them, but they just kept returning.  
When they were done Jace kept a hold of Kaelie, feeling almost desperate.  
"Go to Homecoming with me?" he asked quietly.  
Kaelie gave him a cute smile and patted his chest.  
"I thought you'd never ask, baby."


	13. Chapter 13

**I know, I know, I know. It's late and this is a really crappy chapter. I'm so sorry. I had a friend come over for the weekend and she was all upset about her boyfriend and how they were fighting and then my parents popped in for a surprise visit. I've been writing this in bits and piece for days so I feel like this doesn't flow too well, but here we are.**

 **Now, big, massive shout outs to Tuffin, 249, catastrophicmind, WeirdACE, our lovely Guest and clacelover2003!  
** **Bear with me on the Clace, I don't want it to happen straight away, but don't you worry it's coming and it's going to be emotional and amazing. I have been drafting several Clace pieces/scenes for a couple of months(since before I started this!) so don't worry.**

* * *

Clary was disappointed when she walked into English, the day they were meant to present. Magnus was away sick, Alec was caught making up a test and Jace was skipping class. Her blood boiled as she took her seat by herself, she was mostly mad at Jace. He had been avoiding her at all costs and now it was going to affect her grade.

Mrs. Branwell caught her eye.  
"Where is this rest of your group?" she asked.  
Clary shrugged.  
"Away, I guess," she answered.  
Mrs. Branwell frowned slightly.  
"That's unfortunate. I won't make you present dear, not by yourself. Just hand in your speech, script and any other notes or work," she said kindly to the redhead.  
"Thank you, Mrs. Branwell. I promise we all worked really hard on it," Clary insisted earnestly, pulling the assessment out of her bag.  
She handed it over and Mrs. Branwell smiled at the folder Clary had given her. Flipping it open she could see it was full of pictures, diagrams, extracts, symbolism, etc. She knew they had all worked hard and in seeing the distraught and slightly frustrated look in the young girl's eyes she knew Clary was telling the truth.  
"I know you did, Clary," Mrs. Branwell reassured her.  
Clary smiled up at her gratefully.  
"In that case, who would like to present first?"

Clary started listening patiently but as the class went on, her attention wavered and she began to think about Jace. She was annoyed he was avoiding her. It was ridiculous really. He wouldn't get his books until she was gone, he would turn up late to class and be the first to leave, and this wasn't the first class he had with her that he had skipped. All because they had… well, she wasn't really sure what they had had. Almost a moment, but then he had reacted and fled so quickly she could barely process what happened.

He had been so kind, so thoughtful. Bringing her out a cloth and pulling food out of her hair. She had taken the time to examine and admire him. His strong jaw, full lips—parted slightly as he worked. His eyes that reflected every bit of the sun's luminosity. His hair was dishevelled from the motorcycle helmet still and had about a million different tones of gold. From a pale creamy gold to a deep, rich gold. Mostly it was his expression. The unguardedness of it. He was relaxed and comfortable, and it drew her in. She hadn't even realised until his eyes suddenly captured hers. The moment they did she felt a deep longing in her gut. She had wanted to kiss him. She had also thought that maybe, for just one moment, he wanted to kiss her too.  
But that had all been broken by whatever thoughts he was having. She couldn't understand the _fear_ that was in his eyes. The only time she had seen fear like that was in actors eyes in horror movies. She didn't know what was going on in his mind but she wanted to help. She had said so and he didn't believe her. He thought he was so broken he couldn't be fixed. She could see that in his eyes. Shimmering with moisture and reflecting off all the hurt and pain in his eyes. Seeing all the hopelessness just made her want to help more, but she knew she was pushing too much and she let him go.  
She sighed bringing herself back to the presentation, silently vowing to herself that she would help this boy.

He was being childish; he knew that, but he couldn't face her now that she had seen him break down. He couldn't handle her eyes, boring into him and prying past all his walls. He had them up for a reason and with one glance of her green eyes he felt them all crumbling, but he couldn't. He couldn't let her in, it was for her sake as much as his. His hands shook slightly as he welded on his project for Metalworking. He cursed himself slightly and pressed his lips together.  
He needed to keep her safe, away from him. He would hurt her otherwise. He always did. He frowned and tried to think of a way to keep her away. He knew that she was incredibly curious and very passionate so hard to deter. His lips twitched in amusement as he thought back to their argument in the library, which brought in a flood of guilt. It was their presentation today and he wasn't there. He was letting them all down. His eyes glanced to the door and he almost left to go back to the class he was meant to be in then he shook his head and turned back to his project. He needed her to know he was unreliable. Someone she couldn't trust.  
He gritted his teeth and shoved all thoughts of her out of his head.

It was PE next and he had a quick glance around for Alec, wanting to know how the presentation went. He frowned as he saw no sign of Alec, but Sebastian and Jonathan came tumbling in, laughing raucously between them. Sebastian gave him a smile as he noticed Jace and Jonathan gave him a big grin.  
"Hey Herondale, where were you in English?" Sebastian asked when they got closer.  
Jace pulled off his shirt before grabbing his singlet.  
"Had to finish up something for Metalworking before I got my ass chewed out," he answered, half lying.  
They nodded as he pulled on his singlet.  
"Did the presentation go okay without me?" he asked.  
Jonathan frowned.  
"Clary didn't present. She was the only one and Mrs. Branwell took pity on her I guess," he responded.  
Jace felt a pit of guilt form in his gut and he tried to ignore it.  
"Lucky her, I guess," he remarked.  
"I dunno man, she looked really keen to present, Clary's kind of… opinionated," Sebastian disagreed.  
Jace smiled as he changed into his gym shorts. She was opinionated but passionate. She didn't simply push her opinion across, she had a list of reasons for it. She would be a great debater.  
"You can say that again, Seb," Jon laughed.  
Jace's eyebrows frowned but only for a second. Didn't any of these people understand her? He decided not to say anything however, he still didn't trust these two. He felt like the moment he did something they didn't like they would flip on him.  
Jace pulled on his gym shoes and ran his hand through his hair.  
"What do you think we'll be doing today?" he asked, changing the topic.  
"Something long and arduous knowing coach Starkweather," Sebastian answered dryly.  
Jace almost smiled, that was the kind of thing he liked most. When he was that tired and exhausted the only thing he could focus on was making it through and pushing himself to his very limits.  
"Well, I'll catch you out there," Jace said to them.  
"Alright man," Jonathan responded.  
Sebastian just nodded and he jogged out of the lockers.

True to his word, Coach sent them on a gruelling lesson, giving them suicide runs to start before practising running and dodging for football. They had been given all of 5 minutes to stop and breathe before being sent for weights, push ups, sit ups and all that fun stuff.  
Jace's face was drenched in sweat; droplets falling off his nose and running into his eyes and mouth. His singlet was plastered to his body as he worked up to his hundredth push up.  
"Go! Hit the showers!" Coach yelled. "Except for Jonathan Morgenstern and Jonathan Herondale!"  
Jace looked up in confusion, Jonathan returning the gaze. He sprang up from the floor and walked over to Mr. Starkweather.  
"Jon, Jace, good. Jace I want you to join the football team, what do you think Jon, you're the team captain you should have final say," he said bluntly.  
Jace's eyebrows rose as Jonathan smiled.  
"I agree, Coach," he said, looking to Jace.  
Jace felt entirely put on the spot. He quit football nearly two years ago, he wasn't sure he wanted to join back in.  
"Good, then it's settled. Jace, we meet after school on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On Fridays we have games. Get prepared," Coach Starkweather instructed before dismissing them both.  
"That's so cool man! It's so rare for Coach to pull people in without try outs, he must really see something special in you!" Jon congratulated him.  
Jace nodded, but didn't say anything.  
"So, we'll have our first practise tonight okay, you probably will either be pushed extremely hard or not at all but remember, it's all about how you perform on game day. I know you'll do well," Jonathan said excitedly and proudly.  
Jace gave him an odd look and he grinned.  
"We are gonna have so much fun!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay. Don't kill me. I know it's been awhile and I am so unbelievably sorry! I went down to Brisbane for a week to go wedding dress shopping and to see Panic! At The Disco and I was at a friend's place and she didn't have the internet hooked up so I couldn't upload(Plus I was so exhausted from shopping and Panic! That I didn't even have time to write!), and then when I finally got home our internet was down and I got swamped with work and catch up at home with housework, laundry, cleaning etc so I've barely even had time to scratch an itch. Plus then I found out that I've been having an allergic reaction to the Depo Provera needle so that's been fun-not. In any case, I wrote up a chapter and I was so big I decided to separate them into two chapters! So I hope that somewhat makes up for my lack of updating!**

 **EXTRA BIG SHOUTOUTS AND CUDDLES AND LOVE to: catastrophicmind, clacelover2003, vimto474, LuciaRaven, , 249! You guys rock my non-existent socks off!**

 **I also wanna say thanks to everyone who reads, follows, favourites, your support makes me keep writing! 3**

* * *

It was homecoming. Clary could hardly believe it was here finally. She was at Isabelle's getting ready, she had pulled on what Izzy had called her 'two piece dress', basically a fancy way of saying 'skirt and top' and now Izzy and Magnus were here working on her make up and hair. Magnus was trying to convince Izzy to do something more dramatic but Izzy argued that it would pull attention away from her dress and Clary was just afraid that she was going to look like a clown.  
Isabelle obviously won the argument as Magnus went back to working her hair, pulling it up and pinning it randomly. They had covered all the mirrors so she couldn't see until they were done so she had no idea what they were doing. Izzy kept brushing her make up brush over her eyes and face and drawing on her brows and eyelid.  
Finally they decided they were done and Izzy handed her her shoes.  
"You can look now," she said and uncovered the full length mirror.  
Clary's eyes widened as she took in the girl before her. Magnus had pulled her hair up into an elegant bun on the back of her head, and braided around it, hiding the hair bands. He had also pulled a few choice locks of hair and managed to wind her curls into ringlets and the whole hairdo was completed with some diamonte hairpins that glittered in the light.

Izzy had evened out her whole face and somehow managed to make her face look thinner and her cheekbones higher. She'd tamed, plucked and defined her brows so they looked identical and elegant. She'd kept the eye make up light, adding a light pinky-nude colour over her lid, the inner corners of her eyes bright and shinning with a white shimmery shadow and the outer corner of her eye a black, and her water line was white. She had felt Izzy put fake eyelashes on and it gave her a whole new look. The effect was that her eyes looked bigger and brighter, her lashes fuller and longer. Her lips also painted in a light rosey-pinky-nudey shade. Izzy had also taken out her normal gold studs and replaced them with long dangly earrings that had little diamonte's on the ends.  
All this, paired with her outfit and shoes, made her look and feel beautiful.  
"Okay Izzy, you did it. You and Magnus both, I actually feel pretty," Clary admitted, smiling as she played with the hem of her skirt.  
"That's because you _are_ pretty, Biscuit," Magnus said, airily.  
Clary gave him a look and he raised an eyebrow as if daring her to oppose him.

"Now it's time for us to get ready," Izzy said.  
She had picked a tight black dress that stuck to her body like a second skin. It stopped mid thigh and accentuated every womanly feature she had. The straps were embellished with hundreds of little diamonds and the diamonds extended down and twisted down hugging the side of her chest, making her chest appear fuller. She was wearing her hair down and curled lightly so she full soft waves down her back. She had decided for a bold black and silver 'cut crease' she had called it and a bright red lip.  
When she was done she looked like a supermodel ready to walk on the catwalk.

Magnus had decided on a black brocade suit with tiny treads of teal through it. His tie was a bright teal colour and he styled his hair up in his usual mohawk adding glitter just to the ends. He had kept his eye make up minimal only adding wing liner sharp enough to cut through paper.  
The two had taken considerably less time to get ready than when they were getting her ready but Clary supposed they spent so much time practising on themselves that they had it down to fine art.  
"Ready to steal some hearts?" Isabelle asked, linking her arms through their two.  
"Of course," Magnus responded instantly.  
"Let's go!"

Magnus went first, meeting up with Alec who, ever original, dressed up in a black suit. Though he did splash out and picked a teal tie to match Magnus. Izzy went next, going down to stand next to Simon whom was also wearing a black suit, but choosing a white tie.  
Finally Clary made her way down and was greeted by a chorus of whistles.  
"Wow, Clary… you look amazing," Sebastian said quietly to her when she had joined his side.  
He gently slid his arm around the small of her back and she looked up at him with a smile.  
He had indeed taken her advice and picked a black tie that was printed in the middle with red brocade. He looked amazing in his black suit and Clary couldn't keep the smile off her face.  
"Thanks Seb, you look pretty amazing too," she complimented back.  
Sebastian's chest rumbled as he laughed.  
"I think you definitely steal the show," he informed her.  
She just blushed and ducked her head, while he chuckled as her bashful expression.

It took them just ten minutes to arrive at the school and Clary felt nervous as Sebastian took her hand and led her in. She had never felt that way before entering a dance, but then again, she'd never had Sebastian by her side. She swallowed hard as she walked through the doors leading to the music. They stepped through and she could see that people were surprised to see her beside Sebastian. Girls started whispering to each other and guys started laughing. Clary felt her eyes start to burn but Sebastian gave her hand a squeeze.  
"Don't think about them. They're not important. What's important is that I make sure your last— _our_ last Homecoming is amazing. And on that note, would you like to dance?" he asked, bowing to her.  
Clary flushed pink and smiled as the laughs died down and whispers grew.  
"I would love to," she answered and Sebastian grinned.  
"That's the answer I was hoping for."

Jace watched with a slight scowl as Sebastian lead Clary to the dance floor. She looked amazing, like a princess.  
"What's wrong, baby," Kaelie purred in his ear.  
He sighed and forced a smile.  
"Nothing, just disappointed this is a sober affair," he lied.  
Kaelie gave him a wicked grin.  
"It doesn't have to be," she whispered, her eyes sparkling conspiratorially.  
"You're speaking my language," he responded as she sneakily slid a flask in his jacket.  
When the chaperones weren't looking he slid the flask out and took a big swig, enjoying the burn of the vodka down his throat.  
"I've got a couple of friends spiking the punch too," Kaelie said mischievously.  
Jace smiled down at her.  
"Making this a party, huh?"  
"It's our last, may as well."  
"I like the way you think."

Clary smiled up at Sebastian as they laughed and danced goofily together. She started to feel more comfortable at the dance and she liked getting to see this side of Sebastian. He was really funny, always kidding, doing goofy things like 'wax on, wax off', and pulling out old disco moves that made her nearly collapse in laughter. After several songs and non stop dancing she had to stop.  
"Seb, Seb! I have to stop!" she called to him, trying to make herself heard over the music.  
He nodded and lead her away to a table in a quieter spot.  
"I'll go get us some drinks," he said.  
She nodded and watched as he disappeared. She stretched her ankles and legs out, enjoying the relaxed feeling she was getting and smiled. She liked being with Sebastian, he made her smile, and she would just feel this soothing, warm feeling through her when she was with him.  
"Clary."  
She looked up and saw Jace sliding into a seat opposite her. She tried her best not to react in anyway. He looked amazing, he was wearing a well tailored black suit with a grey vest underneath that accentuated all his features. His eyes looked like pools of molten gold and his hair was very carefully styled. She could see a small amount of product in his hair that kept it pushed back and away from his face, _very Bradley Cooper_ , Clary mused.  
"I just wanted to say, you look beautiful tonight," he said quietly, mistaking her silence for unfriendliness.  
Not that he blamed her, he had avoided her at all costs, even going so far as to skip lessons he had with her. He wasn't sure he was able to face her after she had seen him so vulnerable, so… open. The liquid courage he had consumed was the only reason he had any confidence to come up to her and tell her she looked beautiful.  
Clary smiled up at him, surprising him with the friendly gesture.  
"Thank you, you look very handsome in that suit," she complimented back.  
Jace's heart skipped as he heard her voice. He wanted to tell her he thought she was more than beautiful—that she was stunning. He wanted her to know that as nice as her hair looked up, it would look a million times better cascading down her back like a waterfall of fire. He wanted to tell her that he wanted to steal her away from Sebastian and keep her by his side the whole night.  
"Save me a dance?" he asked, before he could stop himself.  
Clary's smile widened as she nodded.  
"Of course."

"Hey Clary, I'm back. Oh, hey, Jace, where's Kaelie?" Sebastian asked, being friendly.  
Jace saw Clary look up at him affectionately and he wanted to be sick. He knew he didn't have any right to but he just wanted to pick up Kaelie and throw her at him so they would leave him and Clary alone, together.  
"She went to the bathroom," Jace answered Sebastian.  
Clary took a cup from Sebastian and greedily sucked it down. Jace noticed her face change. It went from bright and happy to revolted and horrified. Jace frowned in concern.  
"Hey, what's wrong?" Sebastian asked her, sitting next to her.  
Jace wanted to punch him as he slid his arm around her shoulder. He studied Clary and for a moment she could see a crushing darkness in her eyes. It was followed by a flicker and he could see Clary thinking about whether she wanted to tell the truth or not. It was all shoved aside as Clary smiled and shook her head.  
"Nothing Seb, I just wasn't expecting it to be spiked with alcohol, that's all," she said casually, keeping her expression neutral.  
Sebastian grinned down at her widely.  
"Isn't it great? Someone's making this into a real party!"  
"I'm glad you like my style, Seb," Kaelie announced, flopping herself into Jace's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
Jace remained stoic at the affection, not really enjoying it. He wasn't a very touchy person unless it was in regards to bedroom affairs.  
"I thought it would have been you," Sebastian laughed.  
Clary wondered what was between Kaelie and Sebastian. They had always gone to Homecoming and any other event or parties together but they never seemed to be _together_ unless they were in a janitors closet. It was an awkward situation to be in as they started sharing and swapping stories and laughing together.

She sat there quietly as Kaelie brought up some party they went to a couple of years ago and Sebastian nearly roared with laughter. Her eyes met Jace's and he looked bored. His eyes caught hers and flickered briefly to their counterparts before miming shooting himself in the head. Clary barely contained her giggle at his antics which brought Kaelie's attention to her.  
"Was there something funny I said, Clare Bear?" she simpered.  
"Sorry Kitty, I just saw someone slip on the dance floor," Clary lied.  
Kaelie's face darkened somewhat at the old nickname and Clary could see that it took every muscle and ounce of self control for her not to lunge over the table at her.  
"Will you excuse me one moment Seb?" Clary asked him softly.  
His dark eyes softened at her and he smiled, nodding.  
"Of course Clary, I'll be here waiting for you," he reassured her.  
She smiled and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, leaving a slight lipstick stain behind. He gave her a wide grin and tucked a loose strand away from her face.  
"Oh, ew, get a room," Kaelie snarled.  
Clary just smiled sweetly at her.  
"We have a room, you're just in it," she responded with a sweet note in her voice.  
Kaelie scoffed as Sebastian laughed. Clary's eyes flickered to Jace surprised to find his face as impassive as stone. Clary decided to ignore it and she took her drink, as she made her way back to the refreshment table.

She looked over to see about six massive bowls of punch, as well as two water coolers. She was relieved to see the water and threw her still full cup away and reached out for a fresh cup to get some water.  
"Not a fan of the punch?"  
Clary jumped as a low voice whispered in her ear. She whirled around to see Jace standing behind her.  
"Jesus, Jace, you scared the crap outta me!" she exclaimed, clutching her hand to chest.  
He just stared down at her and she gave him a slightly awkward smile.  
"What are you doing here?" she asked.  
He raised and eyebrow and raised two red cups, she noted the cranberry colour of Kaelie's lipstick on one.  
"Drinks," he answered shortly.  
Clary's lips pressed together and she tried to peek over his shoulder to see Sebastian.  
"Do you trust them alone together?" she asked him.  
He shrugged.  
"I don't particularly care to be honest," he answered, setting his cups down and ladling more punch into the cups.  
Clary frowned and stepped over to the water cooler.  
"How can you not care?" she asked him, while filling up her cup.  
"I just don't. Kaelie's a whore and Sebastian just wants to get his dick wet, a pretty good combination for them if you ask me," Jace answered carelessly.

Clary stared at him, her jaw dropped.  
"What?" she asked, horrified.  
Jace looked up at her.  
"I thought it was obvious. All that laughing and flirting at the table?"  
"You're a douche, Jace. They've been going to Homecoming together since we all started school here! They're friends!" she scowled back at him.  
He shrugged.  
"And you expect me to believe they do that each year and never fuck and never grew any feelings for each other? Could you do that?" he asked her. "You don't think at all that this is some kind of twisted revenge plot? Like 'you brought someone else so I'll bring someone else to get back at you'?"  
Clary stared at him, her green eyes wide with hurt and his a dull bronze sort of colour. She looked over at Sebastian and Kaelie to see her closer to Sebastian now and him leaning in towards her.  
Clary felt hurt and confusion bloom in her chest and felt like throwing up. She could feel the bile rising in her throat and she looked back at Jace. He was as expressionless as ever and she glared at him.  
"Why do you have to be so rude?" she growled and took her drink, shoving past him.  
Jace stared perplexed after her, he was doing her a favour, letting her know that Sebastian was a dick; _wasn't he?_


	15. Chapter 15

**For those tuning in this is the SECOND PART OF THE CHAPTER. Please go back just one more to get the start :)**

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Jace followed the little redhead out to see her sitting on the front steps, staring into her cup of water like it held all the answers. The music was nowhere near as loud out here, just background noise really.  
"Clary?" Jace asked insecurely.  
He had no idea what he was doing. Like when he followed her out of Taki's he was just… going with his instincts.  
"What?" she snarled at him, angrily.  
Jace stopped unsure.  
"I-I thought it was right?" he offered weakly.  
Clary glared up at the golden boy and shook her head.  
"How was that right? How was that kind by any means? You all but told me I'm a poor replacement for Kaelie just a way from Sebastian to get his rocks off to get back at her!" she shouted at him, standing to face him.  
Her fists were clenched and he could see a faint glimmer of tears in her eyes and Jace immediately felt a crushing guilt overwhelm him. He hadn't meant to hurt her, just… _well, what had he been trying to do?  
_ "Clary, Kaelie has nothing on you and if Sebastian has any form of eyes he will know it too," he said quietly, deflating slightly.  
Clary narrowed her eyes at him.  
"It doesn't matter, you've ruined it now, every time I look at him I will be comparing myself to _her_ ," Clary spat.  
Jace frowned.  
"Clary, who are you to be shaken by mere words? I'm a freaking dick! You ignore me and what I say most times so why the hell would you listen to me now?" Jace demanded.  
Clary paused a moment.  
"I don't know the first thing about love or relationships and you're taking one remark I said to heart, and worse than that, you're letting _Sebastian_ define how important you are? You're letting _Sebastian_ define your worth by letting him compare you to Kaelie!" Jace snapped at her.  
Clary's face was shocked and he could see that his words were having an effect on her. Jace's eyes softened and he stepped closer to her, tucking away a stray hair behind her ear, ignoring the beating of his heart in his throat, and the slight tremble to his hands.  
"You're better than that, Clary; you're better than her," he said softly, looking down at her.

She looked up at him, the moonlight glinting off his hair made him look like he had a halo around his head. She could see in his eyes he believed every word he was saying to her and she felt completely and utterly confused. First, he was telling her that she was a place holder for Sebastian before telling her that he had no idea what he was talking about. Plus she had no idea what was going on with her body right now. Her heart was fluttering and skipping while her stomach felt twisted and tight—like when she was nervous. But what was she supposed to be nervous about? Her nerves were stretched tight like a bow string and she could almost feel electricity crackling in her veins as he brushed a hair out of her face.

"Dance with me?"  
She barely heard his whisper, she was so deep in her thoughts.  
"What?" she blurted.  
Jace's lips quirked slightly.  
"You promised me a dance, I'm trying to collect," he said quietly, amusement colouring his voice.  
"I-I don't re-really know h-how to," Clary stuttered out, cursing herself for sounding so insecure.  
"It's okay, you don't need to, I know how," he assured her, his eyes imploring her to join him.  
Clary looked up at him for reassurance and took a step up so she was on the flat with him. He reached a hand out for her and she paused for a moment, looking up at him uncertainly. He gave her an encouraging, genuine smile. She gave a tentative one back as she placed her hand in his.

His hand was rough, calloused and strong. He drew her in close to him so that they were almost pressed against each other. He took her other hand in his and carefully drew them up to lock behind his neck. Even with her heels she had to step even closer to get her arms to reach properly. She blushed as she felt the strip of skin at her midriff brush against his body. She ducked her head down embarrassed, and bit her lip.  
 _What was she doing? She was meant to be here with Sebastian and now here she was cosied up to Jace.  
_ Clary felt a finger under her jaw lift her face up. Her eyes met Jace's warm gold ones and he gave her a sincere look.  
"Stop thinking, just feel and go with it," he instructed her gently.  
She pressed her lips together and nodded somewhat shakily as his hands came down to rest on her waist. She could feel the heat from his hands and tingles shot up and down her spine. She couldn't deny though standing her in Jace's embrace felt—nice. She felt warm, and safe like he was going to protect her. Jace's arms tightened around her and she felt his body twist and tighten as he began to move. It was much easier than she thought, her body seemed to move instinctively with his. He stepped to the side, and she was there with him. He stepped forwards and she was responding. A small smile grew on her face as the tension in her body eased and she relaxed.

"See?" he breathed softly in her ear.  
He could feel her body relax into his as he moved to the music and he felt his blood sing and his heart soar. She felt so right, so perfect in his arms he cursed that he had spent so much time pushing her away and that Sebastian had wormed his way in first.  
"Stop thinking, just feel and go with it," Clary quipped softly at him, her eyes glinting lightly at him.  
He looked down and realised he had stopped moving. He chuckled lightly and smiled.  
"Sorry," he murmured.  
"I forgive you," she teased back at him lightly.  
He grinned down at her, showing off his teeth for the first time.  
"You have a chipped tooth," Clary noted quietly.  
Jace tensed and immediately pressed his lips back together, hiding his flaw.  
"Yeah," he responded.  
"I like it," Clary said before she could stop herself and blushed.  
He looked down at her quizzically.  
"Sorry, I'm kinda stupid sometimes," Clary shrugged off self deprecatingly.  
"You are never stupid," he corrected her quietly.  
Clary looked up at him quizzically but he froze as the first few bars of a familiar song floated out.  
"Jace?" she asked, worried.

He looked like he had seen a ghost. The blood had completely drained from his face and he was staring off into the distance. She looked around for what he could be seeing and saw nothing.  
"Jace?" she asked again, giving him a small shake.  
He shook his head and looked down at her and she could see a deep loneliness and sadness in his eyes that wasn't there before.  
"Jace?" she asked quietly.  
"I-I, Clare, I—" he stammered.  
She locked her arms around his neck and pushed herself closer to him as she felt his hands start to push her away.  
"No. Not now. Don't push me away. Talk to me," she said quietly, but demanding.  
Her eyes fought to hold his and she saw his mouth twist, as if to hold back a cry. She was alarmed by the thought and she noticed a faint sheen over his sorrowful eyes.  
"Jace, please, I'm right here," she pleaded for him to see.

His hands stopped pushing and clenched around the hem of her top, she could feel the tremors running through them.  
"This was my parents first dance song, it was their song. My mother loved it so much, she and my father used to dance to it whenever they heard it. She even used to dance with me to it when he wasn't there and it came around. She said I'd understand the song when I fell in l-love," his voice broke on the last word, as did Clary's heart for him.  
His hands unclenched from her top and instead circled around to hold her close to him as his head came down to rest on her shoulder.  
"I miss her," he whispered to Clary, "So much."  
Clary realised that his mother was dead and she held him closer.  
"I'm so sorry," she murmured to him and he silently clutched her closer, needing her affection.  
Clary listened for the song as the wind started to carry the lyrics over to her.

" _There used to be a gr_ _e_ _ying tower alone on the sea._ _  
_ _You became the light on the dark side of me._ _  
_ _Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill._ _  
_ _But did you know,_ _  
_ _That when it snows,_ _  
_ _My eyes become large and_ _  
_ _The light that you shine can be seen..."_  
It was Seal's hit song, A Kiss From A Rose. Clary could feel Jace's whole body trembling and she swallowed hard.

She began to sway and tried to remember the rhythm Jace had moved in.  
"What are you doing?" Jace asked, his voice slightly hoarse.  
"Trying to dance," she answered honestly.  
His head raised from her shoulder and even though he was smiling she could see just how shattered he was.  
"That's not how you dance to this song," he said softly.  
She gave him a warm smile back and he drew her arms down. He placed one on his shoulder and clasped the other in his hand. His spare hand went around her waist and held her to him.

" _I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey.  
Ooh,  
The more I get of you,  
The stranger it feels, yeah.  
And now that your rose is in bloom.  
A light hits the gloom on the grey.  
There is so much a man can tell you,  
So much he can say.  
You remain,  
My power, my pleasure, my pain, baby._

 _To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny.  
Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby?  
But did you know,  
That when it snows,  
My eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen."  
_

Jace swept her around in large, flowing movements across the courtyard and Clary's smile had never been bigger as he twisted her around, sent her out spinning and brought her back in, dipped her and spun as he lifted her up. Her skirt was floating out in the breeze and her bare arms has slight goosebumps as her stray ringlets bounced around her shoulders.

" _Baby,  
I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey.  
Ooh, the more I get of you  
The stranger it feels, yeah  
Now that your rose is in bloom.  
A light hits the gloom on the grey,  
I've been kissed by a rose on the grey,  
I've been kissed by a rose  
I've been kissed by a rose on the grey,  
...And if I should fall along the way  
I've been kissed by a rose  
...been kissed by a rose on the grey.  
There is so much a man can tell you,  
So much he can say."_

Clary watched Jace's face the whole time he was dancing with her and it was the most open, honest and vulnerable she had ever seen him. She could almost see him living his best memories. Sometimes a soft smile would adorn his face while other times a full grin. His arms were always strong, directing her, guiding her, holding her. His body would sometimes be flush against hers with barely space to breathe and she could feel their hearts racing together.

" _You remain  
My power, my pleasure, my pain.  
To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny, yeah  
Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby.  
But did you know,  
That when it snows,  
My eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen.  
Baby,  
I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey.  
Ooh, the more I get of you  
The stranger it feels, yeah  
Now that your rose is in bloom,  
A light hits the gloom on the grey.  
Yes I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey  
Ooh, the more I get of you  
The stranger it feels, yeah  
And now that your rose is in bloom  
A light hits the gloom on the grey  
Now that your rose is in bloom,  
A light hits the gloom on the grey..."_

The song finally trailed off as Jace pulled her in from a spin and held her close to him. Their breaths were heavy and their bodies were molding to anothers. Every breath Clary took pressed her chest into Jace's and she noticed his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. Jace's face was mere inches from hers and for the first time he was completely open and receptive to her. His hair was tousled from all the activity combined with the breeze and hung around his face like golden, curled frame. The moonlight behind him haloed his head and he looked ethereal. His eyes burned bright, in a new shade of molten gold she had never seen before. His lips were parted slightly as his breath tore in between them.

While Clary was studying him he was also studying her. The moonlight shone on her face, illuminating her green eyes so they gleamed like fresh polished emeralds. Her hair was frizzing out slightly, but he found it endearing that her hair was wild. Her skin was glowing like that of an angel's and he couldn't deny that today, tonight, she was one. She was his angel. He wanted to make her his angel. She made him want to believe, to hope…

His head tipped down, closer to hers and she surprised herself by leaning up to meet him. Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt his lips brush against hers. Her heart leapt into her throat and her breath caught as he pressed harder into her. Her arms tightened around his neck as his pulled her closer, almost crushing her to him. His hair tickled her face slightly as she melted to his embrace. She felt like she was drowning and he was the air she needed to stay alive. Her lips moved with his, encouraging and begging for more as he pulled her deeper.  
He could hardly believe what was happening. Her lips were as soft as rose petals and she tasted sweet, like mint and punch. Everything about her was intoxicating. The electricity that zapped between them was addicting and he craved her. He craved her touch, her mouth on his, and just… her. Having her here in his arms was everything he needed. He felt her tongue reach out tentatively, and he could barely contain himself as she gently swiped across his lips. He responded to her and dove deeper with her.  
Clary almost whimpered as his mouth opened for her and his teeth reached out to pull on her lower lip. She felt a burn in her lower stomach that she hadn't felt in years. Her hands trembled as they clenched onto the ends of his hair and she felt him growl lowly into her mouth. It rumbled up from his belly and she could feel the noise vibrate through her body. His hands gripped hard onto her hips, his fingers digging into her soft flesh. It didn't hurt but set her nerves on fire. She pulled on his hair and pulled him down harder, closer.

"Clary..." he groaned out, against her lips.  
"Jace?" she asked, somewhat nervously.  
He pulled back slightly and rested his head on hers.  
"I will do something we will both regret if we continue," he muttered in answer.  
Clary's face blushed bright red and ducked slightly.  
"Sorry," she murmured.  
He looked down and lifted her head to look at him.  
"It is not at all a thing to apologise for," he whispered.  
She looked up at him earnestly and he gave her a smile. She gave him one back and he kissed the top of her head.  
"Thank you for dancing with me, it meant… so much to me," he said quietly.  
She smiled and shook her head.  
"You don't need to thank me for that, it was my pleasure," she responded, her cheeks flushing more as she thought back to their kiss.

Her brows came together in a slight frown as she wondered what this meant for them.  
"Jace?" she asked nervously.  
He gave her a questioning look.  
"What… Does… Are we?" she couldn't seem to get the words out but Jace understood.  
He pulled her close into an embrace and she rested her head on his chest while he rested his head on hers. He pondered over her question and all he could think about was how good and pure she was. He was a murderer, the reason for his mothers death and a disgrace to his family name. Clary burned as bright as a flame and he would snuff that flame out if he wasn't careful-and he would always be afraid of that. He felt his throat close up and his stomach twist at the thought of letting her go but he knew he had to. He had been selfish earlier, thinking that she could be his.

"You should go back to Sebastian. He'll be good for you," Jace said to her, the words tasting like poison in his mouth.  
She yanked herself back, hurt blooming in her eyes.  
"What?" she asked.  
Jace clutched at her desperately, trying for her to understand that it wasn't because of her—but him.  
"He's good. I-I'm not. I'm broken and I-I want you to be happy," he pleaded.  
Clary's whole demeanour changed and she pulled herself further away.  
"So, that kiss? It meant nothing to you?" she asked quietly.  
Jace felt trapped. Their moment together had been… unreal. Something he would relive for ever but he was also scared and torn. He wanted Clary to have the best and he was not the best, not even Sebastian was, but he was better than Jace.  
"Clary, by no stretch of the imagination that was the best kiss I have ever had, but you deserve better. I will break you in the worst of ways. He won't," Jace tried to make her understand.

Clary's lower lip trembled and he could see the moisture building back up in her eyes and he felt like dirt, like pond scum for making her feel that way but then he saw something he had never seen from her. The moisture disappeared, her lip stopped trembling and she slammed down as steel wall in their place. She shut him out completely.  
"Okay. I will forget it ever happened if that's what you want. Good night, Jace," she said, before turning away and walking off.  
He watched after her and he felt the crushing hopelessness that was his life come slamming back into him.  
He couldn't help but feel that, even though he was doing this for her, that he had made a mistake.


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you everyone for your support! And I'm very sorry for all the broken hearts last chapter... Nevertheless, here is Chapter 16! Enjoy!**

 **A big thank you to my new followers! Hope you're enjoying the drama! haha.**

 **Shoutouts to: catastrophicmind, our lovely Guest, WeirdACE, clacelover2003, reemarie36 and Lauren Salem! Your comments help keep me writing, thank you so much! :)**

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Clary fought to keep her composure as she walked back into the dance. She made her way over to where Sebastian and Kaelie were, and she could see Kaelie pouting over something and Sebastian glaring at her.

"Seb?" Clary asked quietly, placing her hand on his shoulder.  
Sebastian looked up at her and gave her a big smile.  
"Hey Clary, I was beginning to wonder if you left me," he joked with a laugh.  
She smiled at him, glad he wasn't mad at her but then her stomach twisted as she thought back to kissing Jace. She wasn't _with_ Sebastian but she felt bad that she had walked off and started kissing someone else.  
"Can I talk to you? Please?" she asked him.  
His eyes turned serious and they gazed around her face, looking for a hint of anything to tell him what was going on.  
"Of course, Clary," he answered, jumping up and taking her arm.  
"Where do you wanna go?" he asked.  
Clary chewed on her lip and shrugged.  
"Somewhere private?" she asked.  
He nodded and led her away from the dance.

He pulled her through a set of doors and she found that they were wandering about the Arts block. She smiled slightly at the familiar halls and her muscles relaxed. Sebastian tried each classroom door until he found one that was unlocked. They walked through and closed the door as well as all the blinds. Then Sebastian turned to her with a curious and slightly worried look.  
"Are you okay, Clary? You look a bit sickly," he asked her.  
Clary chewed her lip and looked down at her hands.  
"Yeah, I-I just… I don't know what we are, or even if we even are anything but, I just, I thought you should know or maybe—"  
She was cut off by Sebastian's finger pressing into her lips.  
"Clary, chill. You're freaking out way too much, just tell me," he told her.  
Her green eyes met his dark ones and he gave her a reassuring smile.  
"I promise I won't bite," he encouraged her.  
She gave him a slight smile. He gave her a wide one, showing off perfectly white and flawless teeth. His hands ran gently up and down her arms, trying to reassure her he would do her no harm.

"I kissed Jace," she blurted out, before clapping her hands over her mouth.  
Sebastian's eyebrows raised.  
"Herondale?" he asked, confused.  
"I didn't mean to! I just, I was at the drinks table and we were talking and he said that you were just wanting to get your rocks off and that Kaelie was willing and it just… it made me mad and I went outside and… I don't know we talked and had a dance and we kissed and I'm really, really sorry but I thought you should know and I feel really, really guilty because we came together. Oh God, you must hate me now and I just—I'm so sorry Sebastian!" Clary couldn't stop the words coming out and as she looked up at Sebastian's impassive face she felt like crying.  
"I'm so sorry, please forgive me," she whispered.  
Sebastian looked at the remorseful redhead before him and sighed. He drew her into his arms and held her close to him.  
"You don't have anything to be sorry for, Clary. I'm not angry in the slightest," he soothed her.  
Clary frowned as she rested her head on Sebastian's chest.  
"Y-you're not?" she asked surprised.  
"No, but I am disappointed," he sighed.  
Clary sucked in a breath, disappointing someone was even worse. Her shoulders caved and she felt the tears come back to her eyes.  
"I'm sorry," she whimpered slightly.  
"What? Oh, Clary, Clary, no. Not like that," Sebastian tried to make her understand.  
She looked up at him and he could see faint tears glimmering in her eyes and he couldn't help but smile wistfully at her. She was so honest and vulnerable—It was completely endearing. He respected her immensely for taking the time to tell him even though it had obviously been hard for her.  
"I just meant that… I think you're pretty amazing Clary, and I wanted to ask you to be my girlfriend. But after, your interaction with Jace, I'm not sure that's the best course to take," Sebastian admitted.  
Clary's mouth dropped in shock and she took a step back to look at him.  
"You want _me_ to be your girlfriend? Why? What about Kaelie?" Clary asked in surprise.  
A flicker of irritation showed in his eyes before he squashed it down.  
"Well firstly, Herondale has no idea what he's talking about in regard to Kaelie and myself. We're friends, nothing more. We tried dating once but it didn't work out for us so we just settled for being friends with benefits, but I want more than that Clary. I don't want anything to do with Kaelie and I want everything to do with you. I want someone to bring home to my parents and Kaelie definitely isn't that; but you, you're amazing… You're beautiful, and sweet. You have this wonderful quality about you that just draws me in. Plus you're honest and it's refreshing. I would have perfectly understood if you never told me about Jace, but you did and I respect that and I respect you for telling me," Sebastian explained to her, playing with one of her ringlets.  
Clary blushed a dark red and smiled up at Sebastian. She felt so touched that he cared to make a speech about it, and about her.  
"If you asked I would say 'yes'," she told him honestly.  
Sebastian's eyes travelled her face, looking for a hint of a lie—but of course, found none.  
"Are you sure?" he asked her seriously, his eyes sharpening.  
She nodded shyly. His lips twitched into a smile and he before he knew it he was grinning at her.  
"Well, in that case..." he trailed off and dropped onto one knee, grinning up at her cheesily.  
"Clarissa Morgenstern, would you do me the honour of being my girlfriend?"  
Clary laughed at his proposal and pulled him up to her.  
"Yes," she whispered, pulling him down for a gentle kiss.

Clary skipped into the school that Monday on Cloud 9. She bounced her way to her locker and was surprised to see Jace standing there, his arms crossed over his chest.  
"Hi, Clary," he said, somewhat nervously to her.  
She smiled at the boy and opened her locker.  
"Hi, Jace," she responded cheerily.  
Jace felt somewhat thrown for a loop by Clary's bright and cheerful behaviour. He had thought for sure she would be mad at him.  
"We're okay?" he asked her cautiously.  
She barely gave him a glance as she grabbed her books and dropped of some stuff.  
"Of course, why wouldn't we be?" she asked.  
"Because, I dunno. Just because?" he asked, even more wary.  
Clary laughed slightly as she shut her locker and faced him.  
"There was nothing that happened between us to change anything. I don't know why you're so worried," she answered, giving him a pointed look before smiling and walking past.  
Jace felt like he had been punched in the gut, even though he had to remind himself that he asked for this.  
"SEB!"

Jace automatically turned at the loud cry and regretted it as he saw Clary all but throw herself into the tall boy's arms. He couldn't help the sneer but it was soon wiped off by the sight of Clary leaning up on her tip toes to kiss Verlac. Jace felt the blood drain from his face and he quickly turned away from the sight, feeling like he was going to puke.  
Jace knew he shouldn't feel that way, after all, he was the one who told her to go to the stupid French kid.  
"Stupid Verlac, stupid Clary, stupid everything," Jace growled as he slammed his locker shut.  
"Just wait 'til football, Verlac," Jace grumbled, turning and seeing the couple were gone.

Clary practically skipped into English where she had to separate from Sebastian to go to her table, she pouted slightly at him and he grinned, kissing her cheek softly.  
"We'll be back together before you know it," he promised.  
She blushed and smiled.  
"You promise?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.  
"I promise," he said, squeezing her hand once before sitting down.  
She ruffled his hair and then turned to face Alec and Magnus where they were sitting with their mouths open in shock.

" _Biscuit!_ When in the flipping hell did _that_ happen?" Magnus demanded as she sat down.  
Clary gave him a sheepish smile.  
"Homecoming," she admitted.  
Magnus looked outraged.  
"And over the _entire weekend_ you couldn't spare one _second_ to send me a text saying you and _Sebastian-freaking-Verlac_ were together?!" he raged.  
He mock sniffed and turned away from her, his nose in the air.  
"And I thought we were friends," he tried to guilt trip her.  
Clary just smirked at him.  
"But Mags, don't you want to hear all the sordid details about how he dragged me off to an empty classroom?" she teased.  
She could visibly see Magnus's self control wavering.  
"Clary, you're being mean," Alec laughed.  
She just grinned in response as Magnus turned back to face her, his green eyes flashing with need for gossip.  
"So what happened?" he asked, just as Jace sat down opposite Clary.  
"Well, I had heard a rumour about Sebastian and Kaelie, so I went outside to have a think and when I returned I asked Seb if we could talk and he agreed so he pulled me into an empty classroom—my art classroom actually, and I asked him about it and he said it was a lie and then he got down on one knee and asked me to be his girlfriend," Clary condensed quickly, seeing Mrs. Branwell walking in.  
"Clary! I need details!" Magnus whined.  
"Sorry Mags, I don't kiss and tell," she teased, sending him a wink.  
"You _kissed_?" he hissed lowly.  
She gave him a sly look.  
"You and me. We are talking at lunch, no ands, ifs or buts about it," Magnus threatened her.  
She nodded and turned to face Mrs. Branwell.

Jace successfully avoided as much time near the new 'power couple', as he could. He was the first out of English after hearing Clary and Magnus talk together. He avoided her during Psychology and ditched PE for Metalworking to avoid Sebastian. He couldn't avoid them forever though, he walked out of the locker room for football practise to see Sebastian and Clary talking animatedly amongst themselves and finishing off with a kiss. Jace rolled his eyes and jogged onto the field, determined to push himself harder so he wouldn't think tonight.

It worked mostly, until their practise game towards the end. Jace was meant to be defending Sebastian and he decided it was a good time to strike up a conversation.  
"So where have you been all day?" he asked.  
Jace gave him a sideways glance.  
"Busy," he answered, trying to focus on what the ball was doing.  
"Oh, good. I nearly thought it was because Clary and I got together," he said offhandedly.  
Jace nearly stumbled as he heard that, and cursed himself silently as Sebastian smirked.  
"Thought so," he laughed.  
Jace glared at him.  
"I don't care what you do with anyone," he growled.  
"But you care what Clary does with me," Sebastian countered.  
"No, I don't," Jace growled back.  
"That's not the impression you gave Clary," Sebastian implied.  
Jace straightened up and stood up in the tall boy's face.  
"Do you have something to say, Verlac?" he demanded, his tawny eyes darkening in frustration.  
Sebastian's eyes darkened to a charcoal black colour as he stuck his face in close to Jace's.  
"Stay the hell away from my girl, Herondale," he threatened.  
Jace scoffed.  
"Clary is a person, and most certainly not yours to own!" Jace snapped.

"Boys!" Coach's voice floated over to them but not breaking through their bubble of testosterone and ego.

"She's certainly more mine than she is yours," Sebastian sneered.  
Jace's lips pressed together until they nearly disappeared.  
"Whatever, Verlac," he dismissed, and started to turn away.  
"I'll be sure to tell you exactly what she looks like sprawled out on my bed—screaming my name!"  
Jace's vision turned red and he heard his blood rushing in his ears. His nerves crackled with tension as fists clenched and before he knew it they were flying into Sebastian's face, uncontrollably.  
" _You will treat her with more respect than that!_ " Jace shouted, his voice deep and demanding.  
Sebastian went sprawling back from the hit but recovered quickly and tackled Jace to the ground.

"HERONDALE! VERLAC!" Coach shouted at them as the team came running over, trying to pull them apart.

Most of the team was trying to hold Sebastian back as he looked more like a rabid dog than their Quarterback. Jace had slightly more self control and was only being held back by Jon. That seemed to say more about the situation than anything else.  
Sebastian elbowed his friends and team mates out of the way to land another fist on Jace's face, splitting the skin over his eyebrow. Jace wrestled free from where Jon was holding him and grabbed Sebastian's jersey to pull him in.  
"Don't you dare _ever_ speak about her like that again or I _will_ tell Jon what you said," Jace hissed in his ear.  
He shoved Sebastian back and he could see a cloud of anger and satisfaction as well as a slight glimmer of fear in his eyes. Jace shrugged everyone off his shoulder as they tried to reach out for him and stalked off, feeling his rage burn through his veins.

" _Jace Herondale!_ "  
He turned to see a small bundle of red hair running at him. He sighed unhappily and stopped to wait for her.  
"Yes, Clary?" he asked calmly, betraying none of his inner turmoil.  
"How dare you?!" she demanded, her green eyes burning a hole through his head.  
"Clary, stay out of it," he growled at her.  
Despite knowing she had been in no way near the fight his eyes still travelled her face and form to assure himself that she was okay.  
"You _told_ me to go after him and now that he _actually wants me_ , you go and beat him up?! You have some nerve!" she yelled at him.  
Jace frowned and stepped closer to the girl that sent him crazy.  
"You have no idea what that fight was about—and it certainly wasn't about him dating you," Jace growled.  
Clary looked a little perplexed for a moment, her eyes clouding with confusion and he sighed.  
"I hope you know what you're doing with Verlac," he said quietly to her.  
She gave him an unreadable look and he ran a hand through his sweaty and now bloody hair. Her eyes softened slightly as she took in his dishevelled appearance.  
"You said to go to him," she said quietly.  
Jace pressed his lips together as he looked at her sadly.  
"I know."  
There was a pregnant pause where Jace wondered if he had done the right thing and if she was actually going to be safe with Verlac; while Clary wondered if he was regretting his actions and words on Friday.  
"Be safe, Clary."  
With that he turned on his heel and walked into the locker room, leaving her confused outside.


	17. Chapter 17

**Clace will be coming-I promise!**

 **Shoutouts to our 2 lovely Guest readers, WeirdACE and clacelover2003! You rock!**

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The next day Jace walked into the school to see Clary and Sebastian pressed up against the lockers. He groaned in annoyance and rolled his eyes as they made no indication they were stopping. He was however pleased to see that Sebastian was sporting a black eye and a busted lip, that made him feel a bit more proud. He walked closer to the pair and coughed pointedly. Clary pulled back with a bright blush and ducked her head.  
"Nasty cough you have there, Herondale. Might want to get that checked out," Sebastian called to him dryly.  
"It's nothing, I'm just allergic to PDA," Jace said shortly.  
Clary's face flushed more as Sebastian just laughed.  
"Better get an inhaler because there will be a lot more of that," Sebastian informed him.  
Jace remained silent as Clary swatted his arm.  
"Seb," she hissed, embarrassed.  
"I just can't control myself around you," he whined playfully at her.  
Clary smiled up at him and Jace sighed irritated.  
"This is all well and nice, you love each other and what not, but can I just get through to my damn locker?" Jace demanded.  
Clary immediately moved out of the way while Sebastian tilted his head and leaned back deliberately on Jace's locker.  
"I'm sorry Herondale, which was your locker?" he asked.  
Jace gritted his teeth.  
"I'll give you another shiner if you don't move, Verlac," Jace threatened.  
"I'd love to see you try, Herondale," Sebastian sneered.  
"Already gave you one and it was pretty easy to do," Jace shrugged.  
Sebastian growled at him and pushed himself off the lockers to square up to Jace.  
"Don't forget, _I'm_ the one with all the advantages," Sebastian hissed lowly to him, obviously meaning Clary.  
Jace gave him a mock surprised and enthusiastic look.  
"Oh, so you told her _and_ Jon what you said about her that made me punch you?" Jace asked.  
Sebastian's eyes darkened and he shoved a finger in Jace's chest.  
"Keep your filthy mouth shut or I will air out your _entire_ dirty laundry to the school," Sebastian threatened.  
Jace gave him a mock horrified look and pretended to quiver.  
"Oh no, I'm so damn scared," Jace pretended to whimper.  
"You should be," Sebastian hissed. " _Murderer."  
_

A cold shiver ran down Jace's spine and a wave of fury washed away every thing else. Jace grabbed onto Sebastian's shirt and he shoved him back—hard into the lockers ignoring the way Sebastian's face twisted in pain from the latch digging into his back.  
"Mention that again and I will be," Jace threatened him.  
"Jace! Cut it out!"  
He ignored the redhead as he glared into Sebastian's eyes, trying to make the boy see how serious he was. He was somewhat pleased to see that Verlac was taking him seriously before he shrugged his hands off and gave him a weird look.  
"God, what kind of freak are you? Can't even take a joke?" he scoffed.  
Jace just rolled his eyes.  
He opened his mouth to retort when Clary spoke up.  
"Don't call him a freak, that's not nice, Sebastian," Clary said pointedly, frowning at him.  
Jace was clearly shocked by interjection as was Sebastian, however he quickly recovered and nodded sighing.  
"You're right Clary, I get a little carried away sometimes... I'm sorry for being such a jerk, Jace," Sebastian said, sounding remorseful.  
Jace however, looked into his eyes and say no remorse at all and realised he was putting on a show for Clary. The girl now smiling at her boyfriend and sending Jace pointed looks.  
"It's all good man, don't worry about it," Jace forced out, giving him a fake smile.  
"Now shake hands," Clary ordered.  
Jace pressed his lips together but reluctantly held out his hand all the same. Sebastian looked repulsed by the hand offered and he raised his eyebrow at him, daring him to disobey the fiery redhead. Sebastian sighed and took his hand, squeezing hard. Jace nearly laughed and responded in kind, making sure Verlac knew he wasn't backing down.  
"Okay, so, I'll see you in Bio, Jace?" Clary asked, as the two separated.  
"Sure," he answered.

The power couple left and Jace shook his head. He opened his locker and then heard feet behind him and sighed. Verlac just couldn't leave him alone, could he?  
"I'm not scared of you, Verlac," Jace called out behind him as he grabbed the few books he needed.  
"I'm not Sebastian."  
Jace turned and saw Jon standing there. Jon was probably here to kick him off the football team. Which he completely understood, he did seemingly attack their quarterback for no reason at all.  
"Sorry, Jon," Jace muttered as he closed his locker.  
"I'm off to Chemistry where are you headed?" Jon asked him.  
Jace wondered what his deal was and what he was thinking but Jon was unreadable.  
"I've got Bio," Jace answered warily.  
"Cool, they're in the same block we'll walk together," Jon said.  
Jace's eyes narrowed microscopically as he tried to see what angle Jon was going to be coming from.

The two boys set off quietly and Jace noticed that it was rather different walking with Jon, more people stopped to say hi, and smiled and people moved around them. Jace knew that Jon was part of the In Crowd but it was just now he was noticing how much. He also noticed that he responded to each person, smiling, nodding and answering. Jon was a good person and that reflected around him, he was treated basically like high school royalty but didn't prey on it like so many others did.  
"So what happened yesterday?" Jon finally asked him.  
Jace took a moment to think over his answer before deciding to tell as much of the truth as he could.  
"Verlac made a comment that I didn't particularly care for," Jace answered carefully.  
He knew that Verlac and Jon had been friends for some years and he didn't want to upset that balance.  
"He does that sometimes. He also lets his dick do more of the talking than he should," Jon responded.  
Jace snorted.  
"You can say that again," Jace said dryly.  
Jon gave him a sideways look.  
"What did he say to get you so pissed over it?" he asked.  
"He made a derogatory and disrespectful comment about someone that I… that I care for and I don't tolerate that—I don't care who they are," Jace said firmly.  
Jace noticed a smile twitch on Jon's lips and he was surprised.  
"I like you Jace, you're respectful. Look, between you and me, Sebastian pushes buttons, it's what he does. If he sees he can get a rise out of you he will abuse that until you crumble. Don't let him get to you," Jon said, stopping to face him.  
Jace was slightly surprised by the conversation and Jon's explanation of Verlac.  
"So how are you still friends?" Jace asked, curious.  
"I don't let him get to me," Jon answered honestly.  
Jace's eyes searched Jon's face searching for any sign that he was pulling his leg.

"Am I still on the team?" Jace asked, changing the topic.  
Jon grinned.  
"Your spot is secure, don't worry. Just don't get into any more fights with Sebastian," Jon laughed, punching him lightly in the shoulder.  
Jace let a small smile grace his face and Jon grinned.  
"I don't intend on it," Jace laughed lightly.  
They reached the spot where their paths would split and Jace turned to Jon.  
"Thanks man, I appreciate it," he said sincerely.  
Jon smiled noticing the honesty on the boy's face.  
"Any time," he assured him.  
"Hey… can I ask you something?" Jace asked him.  
Jon nodded, carefully watching Jace's face. He would absolutely deny it if anyone asked but Jon was quite observant when it came to people, probably thanks to his father. He could detect when people were lying and when people were being genuine. He could see something conflicting on Jace's face and he wondered what it was.  
"Is Verlac… safe?" Jace asked.  
Jon frowned in confusion. Safe for what? From something?  
"What do you mean?" Jon asked.  
"Does he treat girls with respect or just… use them?" Jace asked.  
Jon's eyes sharpened at he studied Jace. He could see a faint glimmer of worry and a need to know and Jon understood. Sebastian had made a comment to him about a girl Jace knew.  
"He's a dick, but he does treat girls right. I'd beat him to a pulp otherwise," Jon answered.  
He saw the relief come into Jace's eyes and his whole posture relaxed.

"So, Clary is safe," Jace muttered, Jon probably wasn't meant to hear but he did.  
His eyes nearly popped out of his head as he connected the dots and he grabbed Jace's shoulder hard.  
"He made a comment about _Clary?!_ " he demanded, his over bearing, over protective brother coming out.  
Jace's eyes widened and he tried to back pedal.  
"What? Oh, no, he..."  
"He said something about Clary that made you punch him didn't he," Jon demanded, giving him a slight shake.  
Jace's mouth opened and closed and he sighed, shrugging.  
"Nothing can be done of it now, he won't say another word," Jace said to him.  
Jon pressed his lips together.  
"He really won't, because I am going to cut out his damn tongue," he growled.  
Jon really didn't take to anyone making any kind of comments about Clary kindly. He particularly hated the thought of his best friend, _Sebastian_ , making those kind of comments.  
Jace didn't know what to say, he was just a little worried that Verlac was actually going to find out his dirty laundry and air it for the school to know. He obviously knew something about it and that was concerning enough.  
"Look, I know I've got no right to ask anything of you, but… Could you not mention my involvement in telling you? Verlac kind of has something on me," Jace forced out.  
Jon looked at Jace and could see how difficult it was for him to admit that Verlac was blackmailing him.  
"You didn't tell me anything, Jace," Jon said, nodding at the blonde boy.  
Jace gave him a nod in thanks back, grateful for the favour.  
"Anyway, I'll see you later," Jace said, turning to depart.  
"Wait, Jace… this is the second time you've defended her, and I just wanna say thanks. I'm glad she has you around," Jon admitted.  
"It doesn't need thanking. I told you once before, it should be a natural response," Jace shrugged it off.  
"In any case, you have a friend in me," Jon told him.  
Jace was momentarily stunned by the comment but before he could say anything Jon was gone.  
 _Was he… making friends?_


	18. Chapter 18

**So... heh. Been awhile... How you doin'? :P I have a very good explanation. I started Uni and tutoring people plus my partner recently got into a car accident(he's okay) and wedding plans are going like crazy so in short, it's been a wild few months. I hope the extra long-but admittedly not so great chapter, makes up for it a little bit :)  
** **In any case, here is the chappie and have a happy Easter everyone!  
** **As always, many big thanks to clacelover2003, catastrophicmind, vimto474, reemarie36, plus three Guests! Thank you all so much for reviewing, you have definitely been the driving force behind my writing xo**

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"So, what is it like dating Sebastian Verlac?"  
"Oh, my God! You are so lucky!"  
"Sebastian is like, so hot!"  
"Have you guys done it yet?"

All this and more greeted Clary's ears nearly every morning as she walked in now that she was dating Seb. She had never been _unpopular_ but she had _never_ had the kind of popularity she had now. Girls loved her and hated her, but strangely Kaelie now hated her more than ever. Kaelie used to make simple snide comments to her but now she went out of her way to make nasty and rude comments about her. Clary just shrugged it off though, she felt like she could kind of understand seeing as Seb and Kaelie were kind of an unofficial couple.

She hummed as she met up with Sebastian at his locker. Since the altercation with Jace two weeks ago she had taken to meeting him at his locker to avoid any more… disagreements.  
"Hey gorgeous, how are you this morning?" he asked, his eyes softening at the sight of her.  
She smiled warmly up at him.  
"I am wonderful, how are you?" she answered.  
He grinned at her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in closer. She blushed as their bodies pressed together.  
"Much better now that you're here," he teased gently.  
Her face went a darker shade of red and she leaned up on her tip toes to press a kiss to his cheek.  
"You're so cheesy," she laughed.  
"Only for you."  
She ducked her head bashfully.

"So, my mother would like to meet you, do you want to come around for dinner tomorrow night?" he asked her casually.  
Clary's head shot up and her eyes widened as her heart started palpitating.  
"What?" she asked.  
Sebastian looked down at her with slightly perplexed eyes.  
"My mother wants to meet you and she asked me to invite you over for dinner tomorrow night. Will you come?" he asked.  
He didn't understand why she was so surprised. He came from a rather elite family so it was only natural they wanted to meet her and assure themselves that she was respectable.  
"We've only been dating for like three weeks, why do they want to meet me?" she asked him, worried.  
"To meet you?" he asked, confused.  
Clary was shocked and completely surprised. She had never met any parents of any boyfriends before. In fact even her parents weren't too concerned about meeting any boys she was dating unless it was becoming serious—which had only been once.  
"I-I guess… I just… it's a bit of a shock. Will they like me? What should I wear? How should I act? What will they be expecting? What if they don't like me?" Clary burst out with all her fears and worries.  
Sebastian just smiled and drew her in for a hug, which she returned gratefully.  
"Just be yourself, and dress formal. They'll love you," he assured her.  
She looked up at him uncertainly.  
"Are you sure?"  
He kissed the top of her head.  
"I promise."

"He wants you to meet his parents?!"  
Isabelle, Magnus and Simon had all had the same reaction. Shock and mild bewilderment.  
"Yeah, it's weird right?" Clary asked.  
Isabelle frowned.  
"It is weird, but he _is_ New York royalty so maybe it's different?" she offered.  
"But your parents don't do that—heck I still haven't met your father!" Magnus rebuked.  
Isabelle rolled her eyes.  
"That's because they're hardly ever home to know or care," she responded icily.  
Clary winced, Isabelle's parents were somewhat of a sore point for her. She had never felt good enough in their eyes and besides that they were constantly away on business so she never got to see them anyway.

"Iz, what should I wear? He said formal," Clary asked, changing the topic.  
It was just the thing because her eyes lit up and a smile spread across her face.  
"I have just the thing. It's a dress from a few years ago—it's too small for me now but it would be perfect on you. It's modest—the kind of thing parents love, but classy and elegant. Plus it's emerald green so it will set off your eyes and hair like crazy!"  
"And I know just the hairstyle, pinned back at the sides but tamed so your natural curls are more like ringlets, with minimal makeup," Magnus added.  
Izzy nodded.  
"Meet me at mine straight after school tomorrow," Isabelle instructed both Clary and Magnus.  
Clary just looked at Simon who gave her a pitying look.  
"I hope Sebastian is worth the trouble you're about to go through," he said to her quietly.  
Clary gave him a sheepish look.  
"We'll just have to see."

The next day at 3:15pm Clary was walking with Magnus through the Lightwood mansion and up to Isabelle's room. She tentatively peeked in.  
"Iz?" she called.  
"In here!" Isabelle yelled, her voice muffled from all the clothes she was digging through.  
Clary walked through as Isabelle yanked something out from the back of her closet.  
"Got it!" she yelled triumphantly.  
She pulled a long garment bag out and lay it on her bed.  
"Go, shower, shave. _Everything_ ," Izzy instructed.  
Clary nodded and quickly slipped away.

"So what do you think of Clary meeting Sebastian's parents?" Magnus asked.  
"I think she is going to be vetted hardcore. The Verlac's are a big name in France and New York so they're going to see if our baby Clary is good enough for their family name," Isabelle responded honestly.  
"And do you think she'll pass their test?"  
Isabelle pressed her lips hard together. She wanted to say yes because her best friend was one of the most amazing people she knew, but Clary did have a troubled past and things like that tend to be undesirable in those circles.  
"I hope so. I hope her Dad did a good enough job of sealing her records," Isabelle answered.  
Magnus frowned.  
"Stupid that she needs to pass some kind of test to see whether she's 'good enough'," he grumbled.  
Isabelle looked at him sadly.  
"I know."

Not long after, Clary emerged, her hair wet and fully showered. She had on a plain pair of black underwear with a matching black cotton bra. Isabelle gave her a somewhat pitying look.  
"You can't wear a bra with this fabric. I have some of those sticky cups you can borrow," Isabelle told her.  
Clary's face dropped into a scowl and she nodded. Isabelle handed her the cups and both she and Magnus averted their eyes so she could put them on.  
"Okay, time to get in this dress," Clary grumbled.  
Isabelle smiled and took the dress out of the garment bag and helped Clary slide it over her head. When it was on Clary looked in the mirror and nodded.  
"Looks nice," she agreed.  
"It's a bit long, but I can fix that," Isabelle commented.  
The dress was a muted emerald green with little cap sleeves and a square neckline. It hugged her chest, flattering it without exposing her and from the bottom of her bust it just fell in a flattering wave of fabric. It hid any and all imperfections and made her look elegant and refined. Isabelle pulled her over to the make up chair and nodded at Magnus.  
"Do your thing."

Magnus smiled and immediately set to work. He put product through her hair, straightened it lightly, put more product in and then set about pinning the sides back and making large ringlets in her hair. After he was done with her hair he set about her face, first moisturising and priming before adding a soft layer of foundation and concealer. Her very lightly contoured her cheekbones and jawline before highlighting and adding a hint of blush over the apples of her cheeks. Next he focused on her eyes, only adding a small bit of liner and smoking it out adding a hint of mascara to her lashes. He added a pink toned nude to her lips and then made a flourish.  
"Voila!" he declared, spinning her to face Isabelle.  
Clary looked at Isabelle for her reaction and was rewarded with a smile.  
"Magnificent," she complimented.  
Clary stood up and nearly tripped on the hem of the dress. Isabelle frowned and dug into her shoe collection, pulling out a set of three-inch silver platform heels. Clary's face went white.  
"Iz… You know I can't walk in heels..."  
"You have no option. I didn't have time to hem the dress. This will give you the extra height you need," Isabelle told her.  
Clary gulped and took the heels from her and slid them onto her feet, doing up the strap around her ankle. Clary wobbled slightly but Isabelle and Magnus both made her practise walking and turning until she was good enough to walk on her own.

"Final touches!"  
Clary turned to see Isabelle handing her a small silver clutch, and holding out a beautiful necklace dripping in diamonds. Clary's eyes bulged as she recognised the piece.  
"Iz! That's your piece! Your 16th birthday diamond inheritance!" Clary protested.  
Iz gave her a sad but reassuring smile.  
"You'll need it. The Verlac family will recognise real from fake," Isabelle told her, doing the clasp up around her best friend's neck.  
It was then Clary realised just how prominent Sebastian's family was.  
"I need to be from money, don't I," Clary said quietly.  
It was a question, but more phrased like a statement.  
Magnus was quiet as Isabelle placed her hands on Clary's shoulders.  
"They would be stupid to reject you based on your economic standing," Isabelle said firmly.  
It wasn't much, but it was all she could really offer.  
"Honey, you look a million dollars every day, and tonight—a billion," Magnus put in quietly.  
Clary gave him a grateful look but doubted herself until she looked in the mirror.  
The girl before her looked elegant and refined. She looked ready to dine with the Queen and she smiled and gently touched the heavy diamonds around her neck.  
"Thank you. Both of you."  
They smiled back at her.  
"Go get 'em, tiger."

Clary stepped out of her car and handed the keys to the valet. She had seriously underestimated how rich Sebastian was, his own _house_ had a valet! The valet raised his eyebrows at her little Mazda before stepping in and driving it away. Clary pressed her lips together and took a deep breath and walked up to the doorway, pressing the bell beside the door.  
She waited a moment and then the door swung open and she saw Sebastian standing before her. She noticed his expression turn from nervous to surprised and then to relieved.  
"Hi," Clary said to him, shyly.  
"Hey, you look… perfect," he breathed, looking her up and down.  
She blushed slightly, feeling pleased and slightly relieved. He reached out for her and she placed her hand in his, letting him draw her into the manor.  
Inside was incredible. Clary's fingers immediately twitched for a pencil and some paper. The floors were polished marble and there was a great staircase immediately before her that had railings made with polished gold. A crystal chandelier hung about eight feet above her head, sending rays and sparkles of warm light all around.  
"Wow..." she whispered.  
She didn't know why she whispered but she felt that this home was too grand for her normal voice level.  
Sebastian just shrugged and gently rested his hand on her lower back.  
"It's something, I guess," he said.  
Clary looked back up at the chandelier. That thing alone was probably worth more than her car. The floors would have cost more than her parents house. Clary suddenly had this sense of being too… inadequate. She looked up at the tall French boy next to her, and wondered why on Earth he was spending any time with her when he should be hanging out with celebrities and royals.

"Okay, so, my parents are in the drawing room at the moment, I will take you in to meet them. I just… they're a little… stand-offish. Please don't take it to heart," Sebastian warned her.  
He was clearly nervous about her meeting them and Clary could certainly understand why. She was not from this world at all. Her parents were hard working, middle-lower class people, they had seen their fair share of economic struggle and she highly doubted Sebastian or his parents had ever had to worry about making house payments or what they were going to do when the bills came in. Clary and Jon both gave some of their money every week to their parents to help them out—she doubted Sebastian had ever had to do something like that.  
"I will be the picture of grace and elegance," she promised Sebastian.  
He smiled at her and nodded.  
"I know you will be perfect."

They walked in together and immediately Clary came under the scrutiny of Sebastian's parents. His mother was a tall, rail thin woman who exuded elegance and class. Her neck and fingers were dripping in diamonds and her dress was made of exquisite silk. Her eyes were a sharp grey that lingered on the diamonds at Clary's neck before scanning the rest of the small redhead. His father was a tall, clean cut man. His hair was styled and his suit clearly cost more than Clary's car. His brown eyes were guarded and every bit as sharp as his wife's. Clary felt like an imposter, like a tiger wearing spots.  
"Mother, Father, this is Clary Morgenstern," Sebastian introduced.  
"Hi, it's lovely to meet you," Clary offered shyly, extending her hand.  
Sebastian's father raised his eye brow at her outstretched hand before taking it in his own, giving it a firm shake.  
"Tristan Verlac," he responded gruffly.  
"Althea Verlac," Sebastian's mother said, placing her hand delicately in Clary's.  
The first thing Clary noticed was that Althea's 'handshake' was nothing like Tristan's. Clary's father had always taught them to shake well, firm but not strong, to establish that they were not going to be pushed around. Tristan's was similar to her father's, strong and authoritative. Althea's was weak, barely touching her hand before going limp.  
Clary immediately felt awkward, holding onto a limp hand with a firm grip.  
"So Sebastian tells us you are in the same year as him at school," Althea offered.  
"Yes, I am. We share the same English class and the same Geometry class," she answered.  
"Lovely," Anthea responded.

An awkward silence fell over the four before Clary piped up.  
"You have a beautiful home, the art inside is simply magnificent. I loved learning about the Renaissance, I noticed you had a recreation of the _Pietà of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon._ That is one of my favourite pieces of the time period."  
Clary forced herself to stop with her nervous rambling as Anthea and Tristan both raised their eyebrows.  
"You like art?" Anthea inquired.  
Clary smiled widely.  
"I love art, I'm studying it in school at the moment, and I hope to major in Fine Arts in Columbia the year after next," Clary answered, perking up a bit.  
"Sebastian, why did you not tell us that Clary was interested in Art?" Anthea admonished her son.  
He looked down at Clary then back at his mother and shrugged.  
"I-I didn't know," he admitted.  
A slight frown flickered over Clary's face. Art was just about the only thing she was good at—All her friends knew she was an artist… How did he not know?  
He gave her a warm, reassuring smile and she gave him a slight one back. Maybe he just never realised that she had a passion for it.  
"What do you think of François Clouet?" Althea asked.  
Clary paused thinking and mulling her answer carefully.  
"I think he was a very fine painter, I love his detail in the artworks of the ruling family, however I personally prefer the works of Barthélemy d'Eyck—If the works said to be his actually are his. I'm not sure what it is but I just find myself more drawn to them," Clary answered.  
Althea smiled.

"So what type of art do you like to do then?"  
"I, myself, love drawing. I love capturing the moment and bringing it to life on paper. I love to paint as well, I draw a bit from the Renaissance movement and the realism movement. I love to view abstract arts but I just find myself not quite able to do the same."  
Althea's smile broadened.  
"I like this girl much more than the last girl you brought around. Carly? Kirra?" Althea told her son.  
Sebastian stiffened next to Clary and she was a little bewildered.  
"Kaelie," he said shortly.  
Clary's eyes widened in surprise and she looked up at Sebastian, whose face now looked like it was set in stone. He did not look pleased by his mother's mention of Kaelie. To be honest, Clary was surprised that Sebastian had even brought Kaelie in. She assumed that he only brought girls he was serious about. Did that mean he brought all girls to meet his parents? Was she special at all? ...Or were he and Kaelie more serious than she thought?  
A million thoughts travelled through her mind before Sebastian snapped out of it and clasped her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She gave him a small smile in response and he gave her a relieved one back.

"Dinner is served."

Clary had never seen such rich and expensive food before in her life. She had _five whole course_ _s!_ Her appetizer, the first course, was some smoked salmon with a potato pancake and caviar. Second course was a really weird pasta. Sea Urchin she thought she heard someone say. The whole second course was completely off putting. She liked her coffee black—not her pasta. Third course made up entirely for the spiky pasta! It was seared sea scallops with roast pork belly and it was so good Clary almost wanted to lick the plate. Fourth course was fish and steak. Not wild or exotic but excellent. The meat was a nice medium with little blood but plenty of tenderness, and the fish was soft and juicy. Fifth course was dessert, Clary's favourite of the night! Huckleberry pie with ice cream!  
By the end of the dinner Clary felt like she was bursting at the seams.

"That, was exemplary," Clary sighed contentedly.  
Althea smiled languidly. "Yes, Pierre has done well tonight."  
Clary was surprised yet not surprised to find out that they hired a chef.  
"Well please tell him that I think his food is stellar," Clary said.  
Tristan nodded curtly.  
"So, Clary is such a unique name, are you named after anyone in particular?" Althea asked.  
"Clary is actually my nickname, Clarissa is my full name. I'm not sure if my parents named me Clarissa after anyone, but they gave me my middle name, 'Adele' in honour of my mother's mother," Clary explained.  
"Clarissa," Althea sounded, tasting the name, deciding whether she liked it or not.  
She looked over at the red headed girl, briefly eyeing off the diamonds around her neck before scrutinizing her face. Bright green eyes that had been looking somewhat nervous the whole night, porcelain skin that was dotted with freckles—something a good laser surgeon could fix, and smiled. She saw a potentially radiant woman. Someone who could exude the femininity a name like 'Clarissa' suited.  
"What a beautiful name," Althea said after a moment.  
Clary gave her a small smile but it didn't reach her eyes. It wasn't that she hated her name, it was just that… it sounded kind of… pretentious. Fancy. She supposed that is what people like Althea and Tristan liked. Fancy. Plus she was only ever called Clarissa when she was in trouble.  
"Clarissa, I do hope we see you again. You are much better suited to Sebastian than the last twit he brought home for us," Althea commented.

Clary looked over at Sebastian to see he had a cool mask over his face. He hadn't said much the whole evening, standing back and letting the two females converse. Clary wasn't entirely sure if it had been a good thing or a bad thing.  
"I, uh, I actually know Kaelie, we go to the same school," Clary added nervously.  
Althea's gaze levelled on her before her face twisted into a slight sneer.  
"Is she as much of a trollop now as she was then?"  
Clary couldn't hide the shock on her face and looked at Sebastian, wide eyed. She knew they were close friends and she wondered what he was thinking. His face said it all. His eyes were dark and he had deep creases on his forehead while his lips had practically disappeared—he was pressing them that hard together. He was furious. He forcefully shoved his chair back and slammed his hands down on the table.

"Thank you for the lovely evening Mother, but Clary needs to be going now," Sebastian said in a controlled voice.  
"Sit down, Sebastian, and do not take that tone with me," Althea warned him.  
" _No!_ I will not listen to you call my friend a trollop," Sebastian growled.  
"That's what she is, Sebastian. She walked into _my_ house in the disgusting thing she called a dress and behaved the way that she did, looking the way she did! She is a _tramp_ and I will not have the _Verlac_ name _soiled_ by a nothing sixteen year old!" Althea shouted.

Her grey eyes were stony and her lips were pursed together, she had clearly had this conversation before and was sick of it. Clary felt like she could die, top ten most embarrassing moments? Being trapped as an audience between an argument with someone else's family.

"Now, Clarissa here is much more well behaved and elegant. Her dress is appropriate, her diamonds are simply stunning and her hair and make up exquisite. She is cultured, and respectful. With a bit of laser surgery to correct the freckling, she would absolutely befitting of the Verlac name. She is not a complete and utter _embarrassment_ like your Carly friend," Althea finished.

Clary felt absolutely humiliated and hurt. Hurt that was quickly blossoming into anger. She couldn't believe Althea had the gall to say that she, a seventeen year old girl, needed laser surgery. She also wanted to know why Sebastian, her supposed boyfriend, wasn't defending her or even saying anything nice about her.

"Oh come off it Mother! Who cares what any of these girls look like! You wouldn't let me marry any of them anyway, they're all lower class!" Sebastian sneered.  
Clary felt taken aback. She had no idea Sebastian saw the world divided up into economic classes.  
"Lower class?" Althea asked, somewhat confused.  
"Every single girl I date is from the lower class. In fact, actually, Kaelie is higher on the scale than Clary here. Clary is from the lowest of the bottom working class while Kaelie, at least, was from the middle. Kaelie was better than Clary. So where's your logic now, Mother?" Sebastian snapped.

Althea's eyes snapped to Clary and she noticed a slight tinge of reluctance that wasn't there before.

"Regardless of the class, with a family such as ours, Sebastian, whomever you spend your time with reflects back on us. You have a duty to uphold the Verlac name and courting lower class girls is _not_ a good representation. You need more class, better taste. Someone suited to royalty," Althea explained.  
"I don't want royalty!" Sebastian shouted. "I want the lowest, most common, poorest class! The people with nothing! Why else do you think I want Clary?! She drives a _Mazda_ for Christ's sake!"

" _Enough!_ " Tristan growled, standing up and slamming his hands down on the table.

The two snapped out of it and turned to look at him as Clary decided it was time to leave. The night had gone disastrously enough and she wanted to hear no more about how she was completely inadequate.

A sharp _screech_ sounded and everyone turned to the sound to see a red faced Clary, who was clearly trying to keep the hurt off her face and the tears in her eyes.  
"Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Althea and Tristan, and thank you for dinner. I'm sorry but I have to go now. Have a lovely night," Clary forced out.  
She didn't even look at Sebastian as she turned away, trying not to trip on her dress with her heels.  
"Thanks a lot, Mother," Sebastian growled before jumping up and running after his girlfriend.

"Clary! Wait!"  
Clary ignored Sebastian calling out after her as she stalked out to the valet.  
"I want my car please," she said tightly to the valet.  
He nodded and disappeared. Clary crossed her arms and tapped a foot impatiently as she heard jogging footsteps behind her.  
"Clary..." Sebastian's voice pleaded behind her.  
She kept on ignoring him until he spun her around and crashed his lips down on hers. That was when her anger rose up like a wave. She placed both hands on his chest as his gripped her waist, before shoving him back a few steps. Shock was written clearly on his face.  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! You think you can just _insult_ me and my family like that and then just kiss me and think everything will be okay?! No! Stay the hell away from me, Sebastian!" Clary snapped at him.

She was hurt and angry. Sebastian had basically said that he was dating her to piss off his mother and that all he cared about was Kaelie. He was meant to be _her_ boyfriend and he didn't even care. Clary's bottom lip wobbled slightly as moisture built in her eyes before she set her face and bit down hard on her lip to stop the wobbling.  
"Clare… I didn't mean it like that," Sebastian said softly.  
She glared at him.  
"Sure sounded like it. ' _Clary's lowest of the low—hah! Take that Mom!'"_ she mocked in a high pitched voice.  
"No, Clare… You don't _get_ it," he said to her, his voice becoming slightly aggravated.  
Her face twitched slightly, she hated being told that she didn't understand what was going on.  
"Try me," she said, turning to face him.  
He rolled his eyes slightly and ran his hand through his neat hair—mussing it up.  
"It's something someone of your social and economic standing doesn't have to worry about or would even understand," he sighed, aggravated.  
Clary reeled slightly like she had been slapped.  
"Exactly. I'm too _lower-class,_ too _poor_ and _uneducated_ to understand anything. I don't even understand what you are doing with me," Clary snapped back at him.  
Sebastian looked at her in surprise.  
"What do you mean?"  
She looked at him and scowled.  
"What is someone like a _Verlac_ ,with all the money, friends and power in the world, doing with someone so _disgustingly_ _lower class_ as me?" she demanded.  
Sebastian looked lost for a moment.

Clary kept up her angry front because deep inside all she wanted to hear him say was, ' _because you're amazing'_ or something to that effect and as the time started to tick away she realised that response wasn't coming.  
Her shoulders slumped and her face crumbled—she felt defeated. She looked away from the boy towards the blue of her Mazda which was finally showing up. She stepped away, allowing a tear to fall down her impeccably done face.  
"Here you go, ma'am," the valet said monotonously, giving her the keys.  
"Thank you," she murmured.  
She opened her door and looked back at the French boy wondering what was going to happen now. Wondering whether they were still together—or even if they could be together.  
"I'm sorry, Sebastian," she whispered, before stepping into her car.

Sebastian's eyes saddened as he took in her teary face. He had never wanted any of this to happen. He had never wanted to hurt Clary, but here she was crying—because of him. Because he got into an argument with his mother and she ended up being caught in the crossfire.

"Shit."


	19. Chapter 19

**So how's this? 2 updates in 2 days! Whoo! Enjoy!  
** **many big thanks to our commentors, LuciaRaven, DarkSunshineKnight and reemarie36 on the last chapter!**

* * *

Once she was in the car and around the corner away from the Verlac mansion Clary let herself give in to her raging emotions. The first anger, causing her to punch her steering wheel before screaming out long strings of profanities, but soon her tantrum gave way to misery. The tears wouldn't stop coming and Clary pulled over at a nearby park because she couldn't see through her tears.  
She hadn't dated in years because she had never thought guys to be worthy, not after what her last boyfriend had been like. She thought Sebastian would be different… that he actually saw something he liked in her, but really… she was just a middle finger to his mother.  
Nothing special.

She felt like a hand was squeezing around her heart and that a boulder was in her throat, blocking her ability to breathe normally, making her cry and gasp for air. She slammed her head down on her steering wheel, jumping when the horn screamed at her. She muttered a curse at the car and decided that the night time air might help her clear her head up a little.

She exited the car and locked it before walking up to the playground, immediately going for the swings. She slumped into one and began to rock herself back and forth with her toe in the sand.  
"Why though?" she asked quietly.  
There was no one around to hear so she started to talk louder.  
"Why is this such a problem? Why does stupid Althea put so much stupid value on money? Why does Sebastian have to be so stupid?!" she yelled the last bit.  
She growled and kicked the ground before wincing. These were Isabelle's shoes and she would kill her if she scuffed them. So she took them off and pegged them as hard as she could towards her car.  
"' _Ooh, she drives a Mazda, ooh, she's so unworthy, ooh, I'll get poor people cooties!'_ " she mocked, throwing her hands in the air.  
Clary heard a vague snort come from somewhere and she reeled her head around to find where it was coming from. She frowned as she saw a silhouette of a person walking nearby.  
"Well screw you too!" she shouted at the person, against her better judgement.

The person turned to face her and Clary cursed herself. Of course she would agitate a random person in the street while she was in a position unable to defend herself. She didn't even have her shoes which she could use to stab someone's eye out.  
 _At least I'll be able to run faster_ , she mused as the killer started walking over to her. Clary stood up from the swing and her keys jangled. An idea sparked in her head and she quickly made a fist around her keys, allowing the points to stick out like Wolverine's claws.  
"If you come near me I'll claw your face off!" Clary threatened, standing and preparing to fight.  
The psychopathic killer just laughed at her and she growled. She knew her 5'2 height was not intimidating but damn it, couldn't someone at least pretend to be scared for once?

"I would rather you didn't."  
Clary stopped and looked at him warily.  
"Jace?" she asked uncertainly.  
"Clary," he responded.  
She slumped in relief and sat back in her swing.  
"You nearly died then, I was going to kill you," she accused him.  
He let out a full laugh and gave her a large grin.  
"I would love to see you try."  
She stuck her tongue out at him and returned to rocking herself on the swing.

Jace studied the girl carefully and frowned, she didn't really seem to be herself. He heard her saying something about a Mazda and cooties and it was funny, just watching her throw her hands in the air and twisting her face into a pinched and somewhat slightly constipated expression, but it didn't sound like she was happy. Plus she was at a park in New York at like 10pm. Not exactly safe.  
"Are you okay?" he asked her.  
She looked up at him and he knew immediately she wasn't. Despite whatever headstrong answer she was about to give him he could see the make up running down her face and the pink blotches on her face indicated he had just missed her crying. He immediately felt a sense of protectiveness and sadness. He wanted to cradle her while simultaneously fixing what had made her feel so upset.

She took in his earnest expression and she sighed. She knew Jace would listen to her but she didn't want to be cliché and complain about her 'boy troubles'.  
"Yeah, fine," she muttered, averting her eyes from his.  
Jace frowned further and stood beside her, watching her rock herself.  
"So you just came out here at ten pm in a fancy elegant dress just because?" he asked her sceptically.  
She rolled her eyes and looked over at him.  
"Yep," she said sarcastically, popping the 'p'.

He nodded once and moved behind her and started to push her on the swing.  
"What are you doing?" she asked him.  
"Pushing you, duh," he answered.  
She didn't respond and just let him push her.

She didn't know whether it was because she was upset or because she and Sebastian were fighting or what but Jace's hands felt nice on her back. Strong and reassuring. She felt like she was safe with him and she could tell him anything. With each back swing his hands would follow and catch her, and at the zenith of her arc he would push firmly against her, keeping the momentum going.

"I met Sebastian's parents today," she said after what felt like an eternity of silence.  
"Oh?" he asked, wondering where she was going with this.  
"It didn't go well," she said, trying to keep her voice light.  
Jace's brows furrowed. Who on Earth wouldn't love Clary? She was every parents wet dream. Respectable, kind, not a partier...  
"Not trying to pry, but, why? You're basically every parents wet dream," Jace voiced.  
Clary frowned and pursed her lips.  
"Not his parents. I don't have enough money," she sneered angrily.  
" _What?!_ "

Jace was shocked. He stopped pushing Clary and walked to stand slightly in front but to the side of her.  
"You have got to be kidding me?"  
He saw the gleam leave her eyes slightly as she looked up at him and he knew it was true. He was completely flabbergasted.  
"You mean… they're more interested in your _money_ than about _you_?" he asked.  
"Great first impression right? And then she says I need a laser surgeon to get rid of my freckles! Like, hello! What if I _like_ my damn freckles?!" Clary growled back, ranting slightly.  
Jace's tawny eyes were wide with shock and he could hardly think. He came from money but he would never consider someone's money more important than themselves as a person, and _never_ would he tell someone they needed to change their appearance.  
"So what did Sebastian say?" he asked her curiously.  
He noticed her lips turn down slightly and her shoulders slump slightly. He didn't think he was going to like the answer he was about to get.  
"Nothing. He was the one to out me as the _'_ lowest, most common, poorest' person he knew, just to piss off his mother,"Clary told him. "Someone with nothing who drives a _Mazda_."  
Jace felt a wave of anger for the French boy crash over him and he wanted to pummel Verlac.  
"I have never wanted to hit that kid more," Jace growled, turning to face the car park.

He didn't hear a response but did hear a faint sniffle and his heart sank to the ground. He turned back around and saw a faint glimmer of a tear running down Clary's face.  
"Hey, don't cry," he said softly, kneeling before her.  
"Easy for you to say, you're not considered as a middle finger in the air," she muttered, turning away wanting to hide from him.  
He was stumped. He didn't know if there even was anything he could say to make her feel better. So he stood up, reached out and drew her into his arms—pulling her off the swing.  
He felt her tense up as his arms wrapped around her small frame and his hands rested on her sides. He wondered if he was doing the right thing and was almost about to let go and apologise when her arms snaked around his waist and she pushed her face into his chest. He felt her body begin to shake and small whimpers met his ears. He sighed unhappily at the sound before resting his chin on her head.  
"He is stupid. His whole family is and they can all go back to stupid France," Clary cried into his chest and he just tightened his grip on her.  
"If you want I'll go punch him," he offered.  
He smiled as he heard a small giggle.  
"Nah, I'm not sure his nose is healed from the last hit yet," Clary admitted.  
Jace smiled, trying not to look as proud as he felt.

"I just want to forget, Jace… I want to forget this whole night 'cause I feel like shit," Clary admitted.  
Jace paused for a moment, his mind immediately jumping to his extensive liquor cabinet.  
"Wanna get drunk back at my place?" he asked.  
Clary's heart skipped a beat and she tensed up. _Did she want to drink again?_ She pondered, and all of a sudden she had a great thirst for alcohol. For something to help. However, the rational part of her mind screamed at her to remember what happened last time she drank to forget, but she just told herself it would only be a couple. All of a sudden she felt exhilarated and her hands clenched.  
She looked up to see Jace's golden eyes looking down uncertainly at her.

"Let's get drunk together."


	20. Chapter 20

**HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE! I meant to update this yesterday but I just had too many people around and no time to myself.  
** **In any case, this chapter is so big I've had to break it into two. Bit of fun in this one but the next is where it's all at ;)**

 **Many thanks and big chocolate Easter eggs for Tuffin, catastrophicmind, reemarie36, LOVERGIRL, ReadingManiac, Jess and three more Guests! You rock my world, I am absolutely blown away by the response I've gotten. I hope you all enjoy the chapter as much I have.**

 **Warning, there is a small amount of profanity towards the end of this chapter.**

 **Song credit: How To Save a Life by The Fray.**

* * *

Jace hopped into her Mazda with her and directed her to his house. She forced herself to act natural as they pulled up to a fancy apartment building. Did everyone _but_ her live in a fancy place? She pulled in and Jace directed her to his designated parking spot.  
"You have a designated parking spot?" she asked him.  
"I actually have 3. One for my car, one for my bike and one for guests," he replied easily.  
Clary started to get back her feeling of inadequacy.  
"What about your parents? Do they have a parking spot?" she asked him as she parked next to his bike.  
Jace tensed up and she saw his whole body react negatively. She must've touched a nerve and she regretted asking.  
"Yes. This park, but he's not around so it became my guest parking," Jace answered quietly.  
His answer brought on so many questions but she knew better than to ask any.

She followed him up to his apartment and when she stepped in she was amazed.  
"Your place is so nice," she commented.  
He gave her a genuine smile and proceeded to give her the tour.  
"This is the kitchen, I make food here. This is the fridge, I keep food here," he started jokingly.  
Clary just rolled her eyes good naturedly at him.  
"C'mon! Give me a real tour!" she complained.  
He looked at her sideways and raised an eyebrow. She stuck her tongue out at him.  
"Fine, I'll just go searching through your whole entire place then," she told him.  
He just shrugged.  
"Be my guest," he said, pulling up a seat at the breakfast bar.  
She looked at him in surprise and slight uncertainty before shaking it away and turning away from him.

Kitchen, dining room and living room was all open plan and all merged together. He had a big flat screen on the wall and a very nice looking speaker system set up. Next to that he had what looked to be a bookshop, except it was full of blu ray's, DVD's and… VHS?  
"You have a video player?" she asked him incredulously.  
"Of course, how else do you play video tapes?"  
She was amazed and feeling slightly nostalgic as she ran her fingers over the old video cases. She wanted to stay and look at his collection however, she had an apartment to explore.

There was a narrow hallway leading away from the living area and she followed it down to see a bunch of doors. She opened the first door on the left and saw a spare room. Queen bed, geometric cover and a side table with a plain lamp. Simple but nice. She kept going and entered the next room, a personal gym. Clary raised her eyebrow at the treadmill, gym stand and the boxing bag. She left that room and continued her journey. The next room was a bathroom. Shower, bath, sink… essentials. Next to that was a toilet and she made a mental note of how far down it was for later. She followed the hallway around the bend and her mouth dropped. He had an upstairs! She eagerly ran up the steps and found another living space, except it was a bit more… relaxed. Instead of a couch, there were beanbags and a very long, large bookcase filled to the brim with books. Clary smiled and dropped onto her knees to skim some of the titles. _Tale of Two Cities, Moby Dick, Treasure Island, Lord of the Flies, 1984_ and so many more greeted her eyes. He was so much different than she was expecting. She tore herself away from the books and continued her exploration. She wandered down the hall and came to another door, which she opened.

It turned out to be Jace's room and nothing at all what she expected. She expected something akin to Jon's room, smelly, messy and posters of half naked women everywhere; however, it was neat, ordered and no posters at all. She felt a burning desire to step inside and find out what he was like but she also knew he was an incredibly closed off and private person so she stepped out and closed the door. She looked down and there were two more doors. The first door was a bathroom with attached toilet and the last room was a music room. Clary was surprised to see a large grand piano in one corner and several acoustic guitars. She would never have expected Jace to be the musical type. She stepped in closer and ran her fingers over the ivory keys.

"My favourite instrument."  
Clary jumped as Jace's voice sounded from behind her.  
"It's beautiful," she said honestly.  
He smiled.  
"It was my mother's, she taught me to play. As a kid she had to practically drag me and chain me down to play but it got better," he said with a wistful look coming over his face.  
Clary smiled and looked down at the piano.  
"Would you play me something?" she asked him shyly.  
His smile grew and he took a seat on the bench and gestured for her to sit next to him. She carefully sat on the end so she would be out of his way and he started playing a light tune. Her face fell slightly as she recognised the song.

" _Step one, you say we need to talk,  
He walks, you say sit down, it's just a talk.  
He smiles politely back at you,  
You stare politely right on through."_

Jace looked over as Clary began to sing along to his playing. She had turned so her back was facing the keys and her eyes were shut. Her face looked a bit pinched, like she was remembering something troubling and Jace wondered what was going on in her mind.

" _Where did I go wrong?  
I lost a friend,  
Somewhere along in the bitterness.  
And I would have stayed up with you all night,  
Had I known how to save a life._

 _Let him know that you know best,  
Cause after all, you do know best.  
Try to slip past his defense,  
Without granting innocence,  
Lay down a list of what is wrong,  
The things you've told him all along.  
And pray to God he hears you,  
And I pray to God he hears you."_

Jace glanced over at Clary to see her head was now bowed and tears were slipping down her cheeks. He stopped playing immediately and turned to her. She looked at him in surprise.  
"Clary, are you okay? If I'd known this song would make you cry, I wouldn't have played it," he apologised, somewhat distressed.  
She gave him a small smile.  
"It's okay Jace, this song just connects with me, personally," she reassured him, wiping away her tears.  
He rested his hand gingerly on hers and she gave him a squeeze.  
"Thank you," she said softly.  
He smiled and nodded.

"So, I brought you back here to introduce you to someone very important to me," he said in a light, joking tone.  
She gave him a quizzical look and he lead her back downstairs and stood in front of a cupboard.  
"This is Hennessey, he is the holder of all my liquor," Jace introduced.  
Clary blinked at him and nodded, questioning Jace's sanity.  
"Hi, Hennessey. Can I call you Nessy for short?" she asked, causing her to ponder about her own sanity for actually talking to the cupboard.  
Jace mock glared at her.  
"No. Hennessey only," he informed her.  
She rolled her eyes good naturedly.  
"So what's on the agenda tonight?" Jace asked her.  
She shrugged.  
"It was your idea..." she reminded him.

He nodded and opened the cupboard to reveal close to thirty different bottles of alcohol at varied levels of consumption. Clary's eyes widened slightly at the selection and Jace peered through before grabbing a bottle at the back. He pulled it out and Clary made a face.  
"Tequila? Really?" she asked blandly.  
He looked at her.  
"You want to forget? Tequila will be your best friend," he told her.  
She sighed in assent but then spied a long skinny bottle at the back.  
"Only if you do a shot of black Sambuca with me," she challenged him.  
"Deal."

Jace poured out four shots. Two of tequila and two of Sambuca. He then grabbed some salt and lime and cut two wedges for them. Clary sighed and licked the back of her hand and shook plenty of salt onto it.  
"Ready?" he asked her.  
He watched as Clary frowned down at the alcohol and he waited patiently for her. She looked up at him, he wasn't sure why, maybe for reassurance? He couldn't decipher a thing in her eyes though. They looked to be in turmoil and his face softened.  
"We don't have to if you don't want to..." he said quietly.  
She bit her lip and looked away and shook her head.  
"Lick, sip, suck right?" she asked, as if cementing her resolve.  
He nodded and grabbed his shot of tequila.  
"Ready? Go!" Clary said.

They licked the salt off their thumbs, threw back the shots and grimacing shoved the lime in their mouths. Clary spat the lime out at the end and groaned.  
"I forgot what tequila was like, urgghhh."  
Jace laughed and then pushed her other shot over.  
"Better drink this then," he teased.

She snatched the shot up and sucked it down greedily, even licking the glass when she was done. She ran her tongue along her teeth to pull any remaining Sambuca down, to prevent staining and then poked her tongue out at Jace and he laughed to see a blue-black stripe down the middle. Clary grinned at him and sighed as she felt the alcohol start to enter her system.

"So what's your poison?" he asked her.  
"Jack Daniel's," she responded without skipping a beat.  
His eyebrow raised slightly but nodded and pulled out two glasses. He grabbed a bottle of Jack and a bottle of scotch. The scotch bottle was almost full while the Jack Daniels was nearly empty.  
"I don't have much left," he said apologetically, starting to pour her a drink.  
"Don't waste it on me, I'll drink anything," she said to him.  
"Don't worry about it, I have JD for my cousin, Will. He loves the stuff. I'm more of a scotch man myself," he explained.  
She nodded and sat back as he finished making her drink.  
She picked it up and took a large mouthful.  
"It's been so damn long since I've had a drink," she admitted to him.  
"It's been about three days for me," he joked.

She giggled slightly and Jace glanced over at her. Her face was getting a bit pink and he smiled, she was a lightweight. It wouldn't take her long to fulfil her wish.  
They headed over to the living room and Jace flopped down on one side of the couch and Clary sat on the other.  
"So this is where you live… where does your Dad stay when he comes home?" she asked him.  
"He stays in the first room," Jace said quietly.  
She nodded and then looked around the room.  
"You got Monopoly?" she asked.  
Jace smirked.  
"You want to challenge the Monopoly tycoon?" he asked.  
She narrowed her eyes playfully at him.  
"You've never met a player like me," she challenged him.  
She was the undisputed winner amongst all her friends and they hated her for it.  
"Oh sweetheart, _you've_ never met a player like _me."_

They set the game up and decided Jace would be banker and started. After 9 rounds Jace was pouring the last of the Jack into a glass for Clary.  
"This is the last I have," he said apologetically.  
Clary gasped in horror.  
"Nooo, Jaaace! Please?!" she begged, giving him puppy dog eyes.  
Jace knew he was gone the moment her green eyes glittered at him. He sighed and pulled out his phone, punching in his cousin's number.  
"Hey Will… you mind bringing me over some JD?"  
" _Hey, sure… you got a girl back there or something?"  
_ Jace blushed slightly even though Clary couldn't even hear.  
"Sorta… I'll explain later."  
" _-laugh-Sure thing man, can I meet her?"  
_ "Yeah… and can you bring some Coke, I'm running out."  
" _See you soon."  
_ Jace nodded and hung up, turning back to Clary.  
"My cousin's coming over and bringing us some JD, is that okay?" he asked her.  
She smiled up at him and nodded.  
"Of course! I'd love to meet your cousin!" she exclaimed excitedly.  
Jace chuckled as the alcohol was bringing out her exuberant side.  
"So… where were we?"

Twenty minutes later and Clary pushed her chair out and threw every last bit of her money at Jace as she landed on Mayfair… with a hotel on it.  
"Have it! Take your stupid money! _Bleed_ me dry! Pick on the poor innocent girl!" she growled at him as the notes fluttered down around him.  
He laughed hysterically as she grumbled and muttered to herself about how cruel Jace was being to her. Someone knocked on the door and Clary, already standing up, made her way over and opened it.  
"Hello?!" she snapped, still frustrated over her first loss at Monopoly.

There was a boy about Jace's age at the door with black curling hair and bright, blue eyes; almost as blue as Alec's. His face held vague similarities to Jace's and she supposed this was his cousin.  
"Hello, who are you?" he asked with a British accent.  
Clary raised her eyebrow, unlike most people she knew she wasn't a fan of the British accent.  
"I am Clary Fray, are you Jace's cousin?" she asked.  
"I am indeed, where is the git anyway?" he asked her, stepping inside.  
She scowled.  
"Gloating over the fact that he cruelly stole all my money away and left me penniless and begging in the streets," she told him with a completely straight face.  
"Ah. He beat you at Monopoly did he?" he asked.  
Clary glared at the traitor still sitting and laughing at the table.  
"You are a cruel, cruel man. Can't even take pity on a young, beautiful lass such as Clary here?" Will called out.  
Jace stood up and made his way over.  
"You know me, I'll do anything for a dime," he laughed.

The boys went in for a man-hug and slapped each others backs.  
"Good to see you, Will," Jace greeted him.  
"You too, stranger. It's been far too long!" the black haired boy agreed.  
"Clary, this is my cousin, Will. Will, Clary," Jace introduced.  
Will gave her a winning smile and stuck out his hand for her. She took it with intents to shake firmly but he quickly flipped her hand over and gave her a kiss on the back of the hand. Clary blushed but looked over to Jace uncertainly, he gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled back and turned back to Will, who was now letting go of her hand.

"So, they were actually out of JD bottles at the store however, I grabbed a slab 'cause I figured that would be enough," Will said, drawing attention to the carton under his arm, and the bag of Coke on the kitchen bench.  
"You are officially my favourite person!" Clary squealed, delightedly.  
Will smirked at Jace who pouted.  
"But I got him to come over with it," he protested.  
Clary pondered for a moment and smiled at him before facing Will. She stood up on her tiptoes and patted him consolingly on the head.  
"Second favourite," she amended.  
Will pouted and glared at Jace.  
"Always stealing my thunder," he accused.  
Jace just shrugged with a teasing look.

"So… shots?" Will asked.  
Clary's eyes lit up.  
"Yes! Jace! Please!" Clary begged.  
"Go wild," Jace relented and watched as Will dove into Hennessey and pulled back out the Sambuca.  
"You know the way to my heart," Clary teased.  
Will looked at her and gave her a mischievous look.  
"I bet I can take more than you can," he challenged.  
Clary's eyes lit up and she raised her brows at him.  
"You don't know what you're doing..." she warned him.  
He just smirked.  
Jace felt a little bit anxious about this sudden turn of events.  
"Clary—"  
"Jace, I know what I'm doing," Clary insisted confidently.

He bowed out gracefully and watched Will dish out 20 shots, he knew Will could suck down about 7 or 8 before he started coughing and spluttering so he knew this was a bluff effect for Clary and he rolled his eyes. Clary smirked at him and then turned to Jace.  
"Will you do the honours?"  
"Ready? ...GO!"

Jace was shocked to see Clary throw back shot after shot, after shot, after shot. Will, predictably started coughing at shot 8 and Clary threw back her last two and held her arms out. This made up for Jace beating heer at Monopoly.  
"Suck my dick," she sang to Will.  
He stared at her in amazement and shook his head.  
"You have found yourself an amazing woman, Jace. I'm jealous," Will said.  
The air tensed for a moment and Will immediately felt like he had crossed a line. Clary scowled and crossed her arms.  
"I have a boyfriend and him and his family are being douches so Jace is getting me drunk so I can forget," Clary quickly explained in a grumble to Will.  
Will blinked for a moment and nodded.  
"Sorry," he mumbled. "Can I ask what he was doing?"  
Clary felt the slight squeezing in her chest again and clenched her fists.  
"He's rich and I'm not and I need laser surgery and I drive a Mazda," Clary spat angrily.  
She felt her blood boil and Jace watched warily as her face went nearly the same shade as her hair.  
"What?" Will asked confused.  
Clary felt her tears coming back and she shoved them down.  
"I am not good enough for him or his family because I am poor and they own half of New York and France. They think I'm disgusting and need laser surgery to fix my face and can't stand the fact that I drive a Mazda because I can't afford a freaking Porsche!" she yelled and slammed her hand angrily down on the marble bench top.

Jace and Will both flinched at the sudden violent outburst. Clary looked down at the ground and her shoulders fell.  
"I just want to be good enough," she whispered sadly.  
"Well, I think he's a crap bag. You're obviously much better than him and Porsche's are overrated. They go fast, but how fast can you really go in New York? At best you might reach forty miles an hour," Will snorted.  
Clary pondered for a moment and then smiled.  
"I knew you were my second favourite!"

Clary was getting a really good buzz on now, thanks to the shots she had taken. She was smiling really wide and felt like she had bubbles in her veins. The boys were playing some game on Xbox and she was watching them both kill each other. She liked both Jace and Will, they made her feel safe and happy. She enjoyed their banter and both were so nice to her. She sighed happily and leaned forwards, slinging her arms over the two boys shoulders. Well… she tried to. She ended up poking Jace in the ear and punching Will in the jaw.

"What was that for?!" Will whined as he cradled his jaw.  
Clary and Jace were both in fits of laughter as Will pouted.  
"I'm—so—so—sorry!" Clary wheezed through her laughter.  
"Clarryyyyy… I need you to kiss it all better!" he whined.  
She gave him doubtful eyes as Jace's laughter slowed.  
"Please… you did just punch me in the face," Will reminded her.  
Jace saw Clary roll her eyes but move over and give him a kiss on the jaw. Jace couldn't help the twisting in his gut as Will smirked over her head.  
"Well, seeing as we're both now dead and Clary _clearly_ wants attention, the hit to my jaw proves that, why don't we play Truth or Dare?" Will suggested.  
Clary smiled widely and looked to Jace hopefully.  
"I'm down," he agreed.  
"Yo Jace, wanna help me in the kitchen for a sec?" Will asked.  
Clary was a little bit too inebriated to care about what they were doing and lay back on the couch, googling good truth and dares on her phone.

"What's up?" Jace asked him.  
"Dude! Look, I don't normally step into your matters, but that girl there is perfect for you, plus she has a shit bag boyfriend who doesn't care about her. _Make a move_ ," Will hissed his blue eyes staring down Jace's gold ones.  
Jace hesitated and shook his head.  
"No man, I-I can't… I'll hurt her," he mumbled.  
"Fuck off, Jace. That is some bullshit your stupid father instilled in you. If you killed everyone you cared, why am I still here?" Will demanded.  
Jace gave him a weak grin.  
"Because I don't give a shit about you," he teased.  
Will rolled his eyes but pointed at him seriously.  
"Make a move, you deserve her and she deserves you. I mean, there's enough sexual tension between you two you could spark a damn fire!"  
Jace paled slightly and Will raised an eyebrow.  
"Oh, didn't you think I could see the way your eyes follow her, the way you shift and gravitate towards her? How she reassures herself with a look from you, how she always smiles bigger at you than me?" Will demanded.  
"You're seeing things Will…" Jace dismissed, a faint flush going over his cheeks which he told himself was the alcohol.  
Will rolled his eyes and shook his head, he was going to have to take drastic measures.  
"Fine, but remember, you asked for this," Will warned him.  
Jace frowned.  
 _Asked for what?_


	21. Chapter 21

**THIS IS THE SECOND UPDATE OF THE NIGHT. PLEASE GO TO CHAPTER 20 FIRST!**

 **Okay, so... enjoy! ;)  
**

* * *

"So, truth or dare, Miss. Clary?" Will asked, sitting down opposite her.  
"Dare, Mr. Will," Clary answered, sitting up.  
He pushed over a can of Jack Daniels.  
"I dare you to chug that," Will said.  
"Pfft, easy," she muttered and cracked the can.  
She raised it to her lips and without a hitch chugged down the entire can of Jack Daniels.  
Clary felt slightly sick but then turned away and quietly burped into her shoulder, the action making her feel better.  
"Will, truth or dare?" Clary challenged.  
Will smirked at her.  
"Dare," he responded.  
She smiled.  
"I dare you to shave one eyebrow," she said in the sweetest voice possible and gave him a sickly sweet smile.  
His face went white and Jace burst out in laughter, next to her.  
" _What_?"  
"Are you scared?" she asked.  
"No!" he said defensively and narrowed his eyes at her. "I just thought we were easing into this, but apparently not."

Clary's smile faltered slightly as Will stood up and left the room.  
"Should I be scared?" she asked Jace.  
"Maybe," he responded.  
Clary's face set and she turned to Jace.  
"I'm not scared of Will."  
Jace chuckled at her. She looked like a cute bunny going up against a wolf.  
"I will pray for you," he teased her.  
She just looked at him and for a moment he thought back to what Will was saying and he wondered if he was right.

"Okay. One eyebrow gone. I'll tell everyone I had a tragic eyebrow accident, induced by a girl with hair as red as Mars," Will said deadpan as he got back.  
Clary and Jace looked over and promptly laughed at the spot where his right eyebrow once was. Without his other eyebrow he looked rather like a doll with a hair caterpillar over his left eye.  
"Jace. Truth or dare?"  
Jace thought for a second, he was slightly worried that Will was going to make him kiss Clary but he could also ask him who he liked and he would have no choice but to answer. He sighed.  
"Dare, William. Do your best," he sighed.  
Will smirked and looked at Clary before turning back to Jace.  
"I dare you, to give Clary here, a hickey."

Both parties eyes popped open.  
"I can't give her a hickey!"  
"He can't give me a hickey!"  
"You wanted me to shave my eyebrow. This will last months. You can't even handle a hickey which will last a few days? You're weaker than I thought, Clary," Will bluffed.  
Her resolve strengthened at that and she narrowed her eyes at Will. She was extremely competitive and loathed being presented with a challenge that she had to back down from.  
"Sebastian would freak and that's like cheating," Clary grumbled.  
Will snorted.  
"It's a _dare_ , it's not like you're sneaking off into a closet to do unspeakable things," Will argued.  
She paused and then turned to Jace.  
"What do you think?"

He had no idea what to say. He didn't feel like this was right, however, part of him really wanted to leave a mark on his skin. He felt like the testosterone and the alcohol in his body were leading him down a dangerous path so he left it up to Clary.  
"If you don't want me to, I won't," he told her.  
His tawny eyes glittered with honesty and Clary bit her lip.  
"Will Seb be mad?" she asked him quietly.  
"Yes," Jace answered honestly.  
"Seb? Your boyfriend?" Will asked for clarification.  
"Yes," Clary said meekly.  
"The guy who said you weren't good enough?"  
Clary looked like she had been slapped and Jace opened his mouth to reprimand Will when Clary plopped onto his lap. Her knees were either side of his hips so she was straddling him and his breath hitched at the sudden contact.

He looked up at her in surprise to see her eyes a dark forest green. He could see the anger swirling in their depths and his heart sank slightly, as much as he didn't want to admit he had wished that she would want to do it of her own accord and not because she was mad at Sebastian. She pulled her neckline down a little and he felt his heart pick back up and start to skip. She nodded at him and his arms tentatively wrapped around her small form.  
"You're sure?" he whispered.  
She nodded resolutely. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself and brought his head closer to her. She obviously wanted him to do it lower so she could hide it and he went along with her wishes, pressing his lips to just above the swell of her breast. He heard her sharply inhale and he swallowed hard before proceeding with the dare.

Her skin was slightly salty from sweat and soft. Unbelievably so. He sucked hard and his hands pressed hard into her back. Hers rested softly on his shoulders, clenching around the ends of his hair slightly. He forced the groan that wanted to come out to his stomach and bit gently into her flesh causing her to gasp slightly and her fingers to clench hard on his hair. He apologised slightly by running his tongue gently over the wound. He was rewarded with a breathy and unstable exhale—borderline a moan.

He pulled back and looked up at her nervously. She was blushing a bright red and she pulled her neckline back up, covering up the dark purple mark he'd left on her.  
"That wasn't so hard, was it?"  
Jace sent Will a glare so poisonous it could kill.  
"Will, truth or dare?"  
"Truth." Will smirked, thinking he was going to get out of it easy.  
Jace smiled patronisingly back.  
"When did you most recently crap your pants?"

Will shot bolt upright as Clary whirled around to face him in amusement.  
" _Dude!_ " he hissed.  
Jace shrugged and leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head.  
Will glowered at him and mumbled something.  
"I didn't hear you!" Jace yelled.  
"LAST YEAR!" Will shouted back.  
Clary stared at him as Jace smiled victoriously.  
"You have just made this so much worse for yourself."

Two hours later, Clary squealed as she ran around the apartment while Will chased her with an egg.  
"NO! Will! Don't!" she screamed as she took a corner too wide and he managed to snag her around the waist.  
She flailed against him, trying to push him away but his arm was like iron around her, keeping her pressed up against him. He smiled down at her evilly as he raised the egg above her head.  
"Will! Don't!" she whined, staring down the egg.  
"You picked dare," he told her solemnly before smacking the egg down over her head.  
Clary squealed as she felt the egg seep through to her skin and both Will and Jace began to laugh hysterically as he let go of her.  
"You think this is funny mister?" she laughed at Will.  
He was swaying and leaning heavily against a chair to keep upright. She snuck closer and then before he could react she rubbed her hair in his face so now he was coated in egg as well.  
"Claryyyyy," he whined trying to rub egg off his face.

She stuck her tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes.  
"Your turn!" she yelled at Jace and skipped back over to the couch where their drinks were waiting.  
She finished off her can of Jack and Cola and reached for a new one.  
"Truth or dare, Jace," she asked him, her eyes glazed over slightly.  
He flopped on the couch next to her and took a big swig of his scotch and coke. He then leaned over so his face was millimetres away from hers. His breath ghosted over her lips, filling her nose with the ashy smell of scotch and he smirked.  
"Dare," he whispered.  
Clary's eyes glittered and for half a second he wondered if he'd chosen wrong.  
She leaned in closer, so close their noses were touching. Her eyes bored into his and he suddenly felt nervous, even under a haze of alcohol she still managed to do that.  
"I dare you… to go to your neighbours place and ask them for a tampon because your period caught you by surprise," she dared.

His eyes widened as Will practically fell on the floor in hysterics.  
"No, Clary... I can't..." he tried to wheedle his way out but she just raised her eyebrow at him.  
"I have egg in my hair. Don't even start me," she threatened, and then laughed.  
He sighed in defeat and looked at the scotch in his glass and sighed, quickly downing it.  
"Here goes nothing," he muttered and stood up and walked out the door.  
Clary waited for one second before jumping up and following him, she wanted to see how he did it.

"Please, please, please… I am so, so sorry for disturbing you so late but I need a tampon… My period came early and I have no money and my pants are stained and I'm so embarrassed, please… do you have one I can use?" Jace pleaded at the doorway next to him.  
Clary fell to the floor in a fit of giggles, quickly clamping her hand around her mouth to keep the sound inside.  
"Thank you, thank you so much, sir. I promise I'll keep a stash for emergencies, thank you!"  
Clary looked up to see Jace take a tampon from the doorway and the door close. The moment it closed he threw it at her.  
"Happy?" he asked her.

She had tears leaking from her face as she rolled on the floor, her giggles overcoming her. He looked down at her and smiled. There was no way she was getting out of this giggle fit for at least another 5 minutes so he just leaned down and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder, kicking the door shut.  
"Jace! Let me dooowwwnnnn!" she whined.  
"Sure," he said amicably and dropped her on the couch.  
She glared at him but couldn't keep the smile away from her face.

"Get your tampon?" Will asked.  
"Yeah, just for you," Jace shot back.  
Will stuck his tongue out and Clary giggled, drawing attention to herself.  
"So, Clary… truth or dare?" Jace asked.  
She made a thinking face and then sucked down some more of her Jack.  
"Dare, of course," she answered.  
He smirked.  
"I dare you… to… do the worm!"  
Clary fell about in peals of laughter.  
"But I can't do the worm!"  
"You have to try!"

Clary made a loud groaning sound and stood up. Her can of Jack, which had about two mouthfuls taken out of it now went all down the hatch and Jace marvelled at how easy it was for her. Clary then dropped down onto the floor and lay on her stomach. She raised her arms up and promptly tried to throw herself into the air while doing a Mexican wave with her body. The result was her back bending at a ridiculous angle, causing her hips to slam into the ground.

Jace nearly fell off the couch from the mirth bubbling through his system and Will joined him. Clary tried again to the same result. This time they did fall off and Clary glared at them.  
"You do better then!" she challenged them.  
"No can do miss, I am incapable of doing the worm," Will declined.

Jace, however, grinned at her and then promptly rolled onto his stomach. He raised himself into a push up position and grinned at her before pushing himself up and executing a perfect worm. Clary's mouth dropped open and she raised herself to her knees.  
"Do it again!"  
Jace smirked at her and then proceeded to worm his way back about five metres before worming his way _forwards_ so he was right back where he started.  
"How… how..." Clary stuttered flabbergasted.  
"I am just that good," he laughed.  
She shook her head and then punched him lightly before turning to Will.  
"Truth or dare?"

"Dare it is," he relented.  
"I dare you to…" Clary looked around the room and then noticed a banana on the bench and looked at him evilly.  
She stood up and grabbed the banana and brought it down for him.  
"I dare you to deep throat this banana."

Will stared in shock at her. He was frankly surprised and impressed by the embarrassing dares. He didn't think he would ever do these dares with anyone else around. He also supposed the copious amounts of alcohol helped. He shook his head and took the banana. Jace really needed to land this girl because she was amazing. Funny, kind, able to hold her alcohol and just… a perfect match for Jace.

Clary relished in the look of reluctance in his eyes, but appreciated that he didn't back down. She saw him peel the banana and then just look at it, like he'd never seen one before. She snickered to herself and he glared at her before gingerly wrapping his lips around the fruit. His face screwed up slightly as he tried to shove the fruit down his throat but he hit his gag reflex and she laughed as he practically threw the fruit away from him as he coughed and spluttered. She saw his eyes water slightly and she smirked at him.

"Not so easy is it?"  
"I have so much more respect for every girl who does that!" he choked out.  
"As do I," Jace muttered.

She nodded at him respectfully and then grabbed her next can of Jack. She fell back against the couch a relaxed smile on her face and Jace surveyed how much alcohol they'd gone through. He had managed to drink approximately half a bottle of scotch with two big bottles of coke and Clary had polished off… 8 cans of Jack, Will had downed 10 cans of Jack, plus all the shots they'd consumed before starting off so suffice to say they were feeling the effects by now. Jace was impressed though by how well Clary was handling her alcohol. She should have been nearly incapacitated but she was still up and talking and even able to walk—mostly. She was a lot more giggly now though, and her inhibitions were all but gone.

"So Clary, dare?" Will asked her.  
He was pulling out the big guns for his next dare, and he did feel a bit guilty, however Jace needed the push.  
She smirked at him.  
"As if you have to ask," she laughed.  
"I dare you to lick, sip, suck, off me," he said, looking down at the redhead.  
She snorted in derision at the lame dare, but hadn't noticed how Jace stopped smiling and his lips were pressed in a thin line.  
"Easy! Get the tequila," she laughed at him.

Her alcohol imbued mind saw nothing wrong with the dare. Will was back in seconds with salt, lime and a shot of tequila. Clary grabbed the salt from him and licked a small patch of skin on his neck and liberally applied salt. Will gave her the shot and then placed the lime wedge in his teeth. His blue eyes egged her on and she quickly dragged her tongue along his neck where the salt was, threw back her shot and leaned up to grab the lime wedge with her teeth.

Jace's whole body was taut with frustration and jealousy. He knew he didn't have a leg to stand on but he wanted to haul his cousin away and shove him far away from her. However, he just sat back and watched as Will's hands rested on her hips so he could keep them both steady, Will was pretty drunk and Clary worse off so their balance was very off kilter. He noticed their lips barely touch as she took the lime wedge from him and Jace's face twitched slightly.

They pulled apart and Clary spat the lime out into one of her empty cans and flopped down on the couch. She looked over at Jace and to her he didn't look very happy so she grinned big and cheesily at him. He chuckled slightly, the corners of his lips turning up slightly.  
"Smile," she tried to instruct him, but she was entirely too drunk to be imposing.  
Jace snorted at her and ruffled her hair.

"Look I'm sorry guys, but I am totally wrecked… I'm gonna go home," Will yawned.  
He had hoped that his little experiment tonight had done some good for Jace and that he would be a man and fight for the fiery little redhead.  
Clary whirled around at him and gave him worried eyes.  
"You're not gonna drive?" she asked him.  
He smiled at her, touched by her concern.  
"Not at all. I'm gonna grab a cab and come back for my keys tomorrow. Night Jace, thanks for having me. Night Clary, lovely to meet you!" Will said, waving good night.  
"Night Will, I will text you. Be safe!" she warned him as Jace waved.

Will smiled and left the apartment and Clary leaned back against the back of the couch, smiling.  
"I have had a good night, thank you Jace," she murmured.  
Jace looked at the redhead next to him and nodded.  
"I'm glad," he murmured.

She turned to him and studied him. She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol but he looked really good. She smiled slightly wistfully at him knowing he didn't want her. After all he had pushed her away so many times. She sighed and thought of Sebastian. He smile dropped slightly and she pondered over Sebastian and Kaelie. She wondered why he kept mentioning her instead of defending her but she just didn't know.  
"Penny for your thoughts?"  
Clary looked up to see Jace looking over at her and she shrugged.  
"Sebastian and Kaelie. Does he love her? Is he cheating on me? Did I interrupt something? Does he even like me? What do I even do? How... How do I be good enough? He... urgh. This is so stupid. I know I was supposed to forget about all of this and for most of the night I have but… it just keeps coming back. Why? All it is is why's…" Clary sighed, her speech slurring together slightly.  
Jace had no answer for her but he didn't want to see her sad so he dragged her closer and tried to offer her some comfort. She smiled and dropped under his arm enjoying the peace that came with it.

"Jace… can we drag a mattress out and watch movies in the lounge room?" Clary asked, her voice quiet.  
He looked down at her to see her looking at his big flat screen with a multitude of movies and he smiled.  
"Of course, Clary. Whatever you want."  
She smiled up at him and tried to jump up to join and help him but stumbled slightly.  
"Clare, you sit on the couch and I'll drag the mattress out. Do you want clothes to change into?" he asked her.  
She looked down at her dress and then nodded.  
"Please and thank you!"

Jace dragged down the mattress and with him he had grabbed an old football jersey and a pair of his old footy shorts. He threw them at her before dropping the mattress.  
"Bathroom is—"  
Jace was cut off by Clary starting to pull her dress up right where she stood. Jace immediately spun on the spot, looking away while he heard Clary struggle with the dress. After a moment the sound of her struggling stopped and he wondered if she was changed but didn't dare turn around.  
"Jace… I need help," Clary's meek voice came from behind him.  
He smiled and turned around to see her still in the green dress. He strode over and asked her where her zip was.  
"At the back," she mumbled.

She pulled her hair to the side and at the sight of her neck he began to feel nervous. He reached up for her zipper and pulled it down. He swallowed hard as his hand traced the curvature of her spine until the dip in her back. The dress fell away at the sides and he blinked at just how beautiful and soft the skin on her back looked. The other thing he noticed… she was not wearing a bra. He swallowed hard and then she craned her neck around to ask him for one more favour.  
"Will you undo my necklace for me?"  
He nodded mutely and praying that his hands wouldn't fumble he unclasped her necklace, holding onto it until he felt her take it.  
"Thank you."  
"Y-You're welcome."  
Jace cursed himself for stuttering and immediately spun on his heel to set the mattress up.

Clary couldn't stop the faint butterflies in her stomach as Jace turned. While he was undoing her dress she was able to feel the heat emanating from his hand and it… it was somewhat exhilarating. At one point she thought the air was going to crackle and pop and she smiled at the thought. She dropped the dress off her shoulders and let it pool at her feet. The sticky cups peeled off with her dress and she shrugged. Not like there was much there to hold anyway. The footy shorts were the first thing to be pulled on and she smiled at how comfy they were. They fit snugly on her hips and were nice and baggy—so comfortable. Next she grabbed the jersey. She opened it up from its fold and smiled when she saw the number 16 and HERONDALE emblazoned on the back. She quickly tugged it over her head and relaxed into the fabric. It had obviously been worn and loved a lot as the fabric was super comfortable.

Jace looked up as he made the finishing touches on the bed—pillows, blankets etc. and smiled as he saw her small frame engulfed by his jersey. The hem came down to her upper thighs and the sleeves past her fingers, plus the neckline dropped low enough he could just see the mark he had left on her. He would never admit it to anyone but he liked the way she looked, engulfed in his clothes and he was even prouder of the mark on her skin. She glanced over at him and smiled and he relished in the fact that he had made her happy.  
"Do you want me to roll your sleeves up for you?" he asked.  
She looked at him in astonishment and slight horror.  
"Why on Earth would you do that?" she asked him.  
He looked at her perplexed.  
"So… you don't have sleeves that hang past your hands?" he questioned her.  
She stared at him and stood up on the mattress so she would be closer to his height.  
"But then I can't do this," she told him.  
"Do what?"

She ducked her hands further into the sleeves and then whacked him in the face with the empty sleeve. He looked at her utterly dumbfounded. She smiled cheekily back at him and he smiled in amusement back at her.  
"You're so weird sometimes," he said, his voice reaching a note of fondness.  
"I embrace the weird," she told him matter-of-factly, flopping back on the bed, bouncing slightly.  
Jace threw himself back next to her and looked at her snuggled up deep under the covers.  
"I know."  
He got slapped in the face by her sleeve again.

"So what would you like to watch?" Jace asked her.  
Clary rolled over to see the Netflix screen. Jace flicked into top trending and was just browsing through until he heard the sound of a dying pterodactyl. He jumped and looked over at the girl next to him who had sat bolt upright.  
"Wreck-It Ralph! We have to watch it! It's my favourite movie!" Clary made the same noise again and Jace nodded hurriedly.  
"Okay, okay! It's going on!" he exclaimed, quickly going into the movie.  
Clary grinned brightly and snuggled back under the blanket.  
" _My name's Ralph, and I'm a bad guy. Uh, let's see..."_

Wreck-It Ralph had just finished and Clary was wiping away her tears.  
"It's just so sweet… he loves her so much he was going to die for her and she was going to die for him and… everyone treats her bad 'cause of her glitch and… she's been forced that way… and he misses her… He would sacrifice everything for her… just so she would be happy… and he doesn't care that she glitches! He just accepts it..." Clary rambled.  
Jace chuckled and drew his arms around the still crying girl. She fisted her hands and pushed her face into his chest, hiding her tears in his shirt.  
"But think of it this way, she's not a glitch any more, so she can leave her game and visit him," he soothed her gently.  
Her cries stopped for a moment and she looked up at him.  
"You think?"  
"I know."  
Her brain clearly went into thinking mode and she smiled after a second and snuggled back into his chest.  
"I wish I had someone who loved me that much," she whispered.  
Jace's heart skipped a beat and he swallowed wistfully.  
"You do," he said softly.

Her head snapped up to his in shock.  
"All your friends at school, plus Jon, they would die for you. They love you so much," Jace told her.  
Her eyes dulled a little as it was all stuff she had heard before and nodded.  
"I know, but they just… sometimes I just want to feel loved… and wanted… I kind of thought that would be Sebastian… but I guess not," she said quietly to him.  
He nodded.  
"I know," he replied softly.

"Why do you close off all the time? Why are you so scared of me?" Clary asked him, wanting to change the topic.  
Jace stiffened and pressed his lips together.  
"I don't want to hurt you, y'know?" she told him.  
He sighed and nodded.  
"I know you don't… I just don't trust myself not to hurt you… or anyone else for that matter," he replied truthfully.  
She looked up at him and shifted so she was right by his face on the pillow.  
"I don't think you would hurt me. All you have ever done is try and help…"  
He looked into her tired and bloodshot eyes. He could see she was tired and he didn't want to have this conversation. This was a conversation for another time—a sober time.  
"Don't you worry Clary. We will have that conversation, just not tonight. Get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning," he soothed her.  
"But I'm not sleepy," she protested feebly, rather like a small child.

He smiled and began running his fingers through her soft, red hair. It was neater and less tangled than he remembered it; more silky and he liked it. Her eyes slowly slid shut as she relaxed into his embrace.

It wasn't long after that her breathing deepened and evened, but he still kept playing with her hair. He gazed down at the girl cuddled up on him and sighed. It was now at a point that even he couldn't deny it any longer.  
He liked her. He liked her a lot.

He loved the way her smile travelled through her whole face and her eyes crinkled. He loved how her hair was wild and untameable, and loved the spattering of freckles over her nose. He loved how her laugh filled up a room and how pale and soft her skin was. He liked how kind, honest and unassuming she was. She just took everything in stride. She was the perfect embodiment of the perfect girl. He frowned remembering Verlac's mother wanted her to get rid of her freckles and 'flaws'. His arms tightened around her and he shook his head slightly.  
He would never let her get rid of them.

After what felt like an eternity of holding her to him Jace's eyes began to droop as well. He pulled Clary closer and she made a soft noise and he felt her hook her leg through his and she shifted so that now she was practically lying on top of him. He smiled drowsily at her and gently pressed his lips to the top of her head as he started to drift off.  
"Goodnight Clary… You're my Vanellope."


	22. Chapter 22

**Oh my God, you guys! The response from the last chapter is phenomenal! You rock my socks so much!**

 **Herondale-potter-jackson, catastrophicmind, Angeliel, TisITisITheSaltiestFry, cait418448, feysandcats, Tuffin, LOVERGIRL, ReadingManiac, reemarie36 and our Guest! You have all blown my mind and I love you all so much, this chapter is for you guys. I spent all day at uni, before work and after work writing this for you.** **  
**

 **Warning: Coarse language scattered throughout. There isn't much and it's definitely not going to become a common thing it just fits with the chapter.**

* * *

Jace woke up early the next morning with thankfully not feeling the effects of the night before too much. He yawned and idly wondered why his chest felt so heavy… and wet. He opened his eyes up blearily and rubbed them to clear them and looked down on his chest. His eyes shot open as he saw a mass of messy red hair. His heartbeat accelerated and he gulped and took a deep breath. Clary's head rose and fell with his chest and she mumbled something incoherent and shifted. Her head turned so she was pressing her other cheek onto his chest and her arm came up and rested over his chest. The shine on her now exposed face made him realise why his chest was wet. She was drooling. He had to stifle a laugh and he brought his other hand up to gently pull her hair away from her face. At least she wasn't a snorer, he reasoned.

He lay there for another five minutes but Clary was still out to it. His muscles began to ache and tell him he needed to stretch. He cursed his body for needing to move because all he wanted to do was cherish this moment. Clary was at peace as was he and he wanted to stay that way; avoid real life for as long as possible. His muscles began to seize and cramp and he winced, he couldn't ignore it any longer. He carefully began to slide himself out from underneath Clary. He eased his legs out, so that his feet were resting on the floor and grabbed a pillow to substitute for his body. He twisted his body and manoeuvred the pillow underneath. Lastly he slowly pulled his arm out from underneath her and stood up.

Clary didn't budge or acknowledge that she had even noticed he was gone. He turned away and stretched hard, raising his arms up and twisting his back. He body thanked him by popping loudly in several joints and he checked to make sure he hadn't woken Clary up. He looked down at himself and chuckled silently at the big puddle on his chest. _Time for a shower_ , he thought. He quietly padded upstairs and into the shower.

Clary wanted to die. Her head was absolutely _pounding_. It was at a point where she thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head. Plus her stomach was roiling and she thought she could be sick at any moment. She groaned and rolled over, shoving her face into her pillow. Except, it didn't smell like her pillow. Her pillow smelt of lavender from the fabric softener her mother used and this one smelt crisp, like a forest. Something was trying to connect in her brain but she was just in too much pain to care and kept her head buried.

"Go away sun," she grumbled at the light kept piercing her eyes.  
"I don't think that works."

Clary screamed, ignoring the pounding in her head and leapt up from her bed, ready to fight the intruder. Except she got tangled in the sheets and her hair was all over the place, obscuring her vision so she tripped and started to fall.  
Before she could hit the ground though, something caught her. She looked up and saw someone she wasn't expecting.  
"Jace?" she asked confused.  
"You are really clumsy."  
She couldn't understand why Jace was in her bedroom and how he had even gotten in.  
"Why are you in my bedroom?" she blurted.  
A flicker of amusement flashed over his face and she wondered what it was for.  
"Clary, you're in my living room."  
She blinked at him and turned her head to see she was indeed in a living room. She looked down at herself to see she was not in her clothes. Her immediate reaction was to panic.  
"What in the freaking hell did you do to me?! Why am I here?!" she screamed pushing back against Jace's bare chest.  
"Whoa, Clary, Clary, calm down..." Jace tried to soothe her.  
She pushed away from him and glared at him.  
"Clary, have I ever done anything to hurt you?" Jace demanded.  
She paused for a moment and realised he was right but was still wary.  
"Why am I here?" she asked carefully.  
Her memory was very hazy and combined with her headache and nausea she couldn't think very well.  
"Clary, you had a bad night with Sebastian and his family and I found you in a park upset. You ended up telling me you just wanted to forget so I suggested we get drunk to which you agreed." Clary's face went deathly white and she felt bile rise as Jace continued. "We came back here, had some shots, drinks, played Monopoly and my cousin came around and brought us more drinks, you guys went through a shot contest and then we played Truth or Dare until Will left and we watched Wreck-It Ralph. You didn't want to sleep in the fancy dress or necklace so I gave you some of my clothes. I promise, I didn't do anything to you." Jace explained slowly.

Once he was done Clary looked like she had seen a ghost and before he or she could say anything she ran to the sink and emptied her stomach contents. Jace figured this would probably happened and walked over to her, pulling her hair back for her. She kept heaving for another couple of minutes and then she stepped back slightly, put her back to the sink and sank down the cupboards doors to the ground. Jace frowned slightly and grabbed a rag for her and sat next to her. He handed it over and she cleaned herself up but didn't react to him in any way.  
"Clare—"  
"Please don't."  
Jace frowned at her behaviour but didn't say anything. He stood up and started throwing some bacon in a pan. He was starving and Clary would feel much better with some food in her stomach. He winced as he heard the sound of retching again, but kept on cooking. Clary obviously needed to be on his own so he did what he could to appease her wishes.

Not long later and the bacon, eggs and toast were cooked. He dished up two plates and set them both on the breakfast bar. He also poured two glasses of water and dropped out two Aspirin pills for Clary.  
"Breakfast is ready," he said to her quietly.  
She looked up and he was immediately worried by the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. She looked completely distraught and devastated. Like her whole world had crashed around her.  
"Hey," he whispered softly to her.  
"Jace… I…" she whimpered.  
He drew her in close and she for a moment it looked like she was going to start sobbing but she held herself together and turned away from him.

Jace stood there completely baffled. It was him that shied away from their contact, not her. That was how he knew something was seriously wrong. He sat next to her at the breakfast bar and they started to eat. Jace wolfed his breakfast down, but Clary looked to feel even worse with every bite she took. Her mouth would twist and she would chew very slowly looking like she would throw up at any second.  
"It's not you. Nothing to do with you. I promise," she said quietly.  
Jace flushed slightly, knowing she had seen him staring at her.  
"What's wrong Clary?" he asked her.  
She had eaten approximately half of her breakfast and pushed the plate away.  
"Don't you judge me Jace. Don't you dare," she warned him.  
He raised his eyebrow at her and she stared back.  
"I'm serious. What I am about to tell you almost no one knows. It is my biggest secret… and my biggest failure," she said firmly.  
Jace's eyes studied her and he nodded. He felt honoured, privileged to know what she was about to tell him.  
"I promise, you can trust me," he reassured her.  
Clary's eyes stared into his and she saw nothing but honesty in his golden eyes and she just felt that she could trust him. She nodded and leaned over him, pulling over her silver clutch. She reached inside and pulled out her keys and held them tightly in her hand. Jace noticed a faint quiver in her hand and she licked her lips, her eyes unable to meet his.  
"Please, don't let this change your opinion of me," she pleaded softly.  
She couldn't explain it but she was now inexplicably terrified that Jace would yell at her, judge her, and be completely disgusted with her. She was surprised by just how much she was scared as it was showing that she and Jace were growing quite close and she couldn't bear to lose another friend to her shortcomings.  
"Nothing you could say or do could change my opinion of you," he told her, brushing her hair back so she was exposed to him.  
She glanced up and she saw honestly, compassion and a very kind gentleness. She knew he had seen his share of demons and she thought maybe, of all her friends, he would be the one to understand her.

She took a deep breath and with a slightly shaking hand gave him her keys. He looked at them confused and then back at her.  
"Keys?" he asked.  
"Look closer."  
He did so. He found a car key, three normal looking keys, a torch key ring and a bronze coin key ring.  
"What am I looking at?"  
Clary reached over, avoiding his eyes and felt for her coin. There was a faint groove from where she had run her thumb along the inscription.  
Jace looked closer and picked up the coin key ring, to read the inscription.

' _God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,_ _c_ _ourage to change the things which should be changed and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.'_

Everything clicked at once and Jace turned the coin over to see that Clary had been two years sober.  
"Oh, Jesus, Clary… If I'd known…" Jace whispered.  
Clary had been an alcoholic and quite a young one. Only fourteen or fifteen by his calculations. His finger ran over the coin obviously where hers had, because the inscription had worn away slightly. He thought back to homecoming and about how horrified and revolted she looked. How she had gone up for a new drink, any time alcohol had ever been sneaked in she would always refuse. He felt horrible, he felt like the worst person in the world. She was an alcoholic and he had just waved a red flag at a bull.

"It wasn't just alcohol, it was… it was drugs too."  
Jace looked over at Clary who was staring at the counter and retreating into his jersey. He wanted to say something to reassure her, but he didn't know what to say.  
"I can't really remember how it started, probably by trying to be a rebel and sneak one of Jon's beers. He's older than me by a year and started drinking at 15. I think I was with Kaelie and we thought we were being so cool."  
"Wait, you and Kaelie were friends?" Jace asked, perplexed.  
He was of the understanding that the girls didn't really get on.

"Once. Long ago. Before Isabelle, Magnus and Alec. Anyway, we used to start sneaking them more often. It would be every weekend that we used to steal them. I remember Jon used to get mad with Dad because he thought Dad was trying to limit his alcohol intake keep him from trying new things, but it was actually us. And then we used to sneak it in afternoons. Kaelie began to hang out with people that were older and could… hook us up and she used her money and influence to bring in a steady supply of alcohol. So now we were drinking basically every day. I would go back to Kaelie's under the guise of being her tutor and then we'd just get smashed together."

Clary stretched painfully on the stool and Jace stood, extending his hand to her. She looked at him quizzically and he gave her a smile.  
"Couch'll be comfier," he explained.  
She smiled and nodded, placing her hand in his. He held onto it with strong hands and she let him pull her over to the couch. He sat at one corner and faced her as she sat at the other end, her short legs tucked underneath her. Jace dragged the comforter up and she gratefully snuggled down into it. He stretched his legs out and gently nudged her. She smiled softly and began to fiddle with the end of the comforter.  
"So what happened next?" Jace prompted gently.  
Clary sighed.

"We caught the eye of some people. The wrong people. One of them was Raphael."  
"Raphael Santiago?" Jace asked, thunderstruck.  
Clary glanced up at him and looked down in shame, nodding.  
"Yeah," she whispered.  
"Oh, _fuck_ , Clary… Jesus..." Jace sighed in distress.  
He knew Raphael and knew exactly what he was like and he would never wish anyone to be involved with him.

"He introduced us to dope at first. We all knew about it and figured it was harmless enough so we went with it. We smoked a fair bit and then he suggested we try something harder Kaelie got hooked onto the coke and I… I played with fire."

She glanced up and saw Jace watching her with non-judgemental eyes and she took a deep breath.

"I started using… E and heroin. E when I needed an up and heroin when I needed a down. Kaelie and I used to party into the night down at Raphael's place. But then… he… he increased his price. He said his supplier had been caught and jailed so he was using a new one with higher prices therefore his had to rise. Kaelie was fine, she had enough money to cover her habit. I-I..."

Jace knew she wouldn't have been able to afford his prices and he knew exactly where this story was going. Her legs were drawing up to her body and her shaking hands told him everything.

"I couldn't pay… so he demanded… he wanted… _other_ payment. And… and I… I did it."

Jace's heart stopped. He felt the fury rise up as he thought of 14 year old Clary with Raphael's hands on her. His hands clenched and he wanted to break Raphael's face. He wanted that lowlife to pay for doing that to Clary and making her feel this way.  
"Jesus," he muttered.  
She looked up at him in worry and he could see the effort it was taking to keep her composure.  
"Clary, I… I don't even know what to say," he said to her honestly.  
Her lip curled in revulsion and she looked down at her fingers.  
"I know, I'm pretty fucking disgusting," she mumbled, words couldn't explain just how much she _loathed_ herself for agreeing to what she did.  
He realised then that she thought he thought that she was disgusting and nothing was further from the truth.  
"Clary, no. I don't think that in the slightest. I'm mad at _Raphael_. _He_ is the disgusting one. Not you, he is the sick freak who preyed on a fourteen year old girl," Jace said firmly.  
Clary didn't say anything, but he could tell that she didn't believe him.

"Okay fine, but you asked for it," he told her.  
Her head snapped up and he reached around her waist and pulled her over and onto his lap so that her back was to his chest. Leaving his arms securely around her waist he leaned in to speak to her.  
"If I thought you were disgusting, would I let you touch me? Would I willingly put you in my lap like this? Would I let you stay in my apartment?" he asked her.  
Clary shivered as his breath curled over her ear but she still couldn't shake the feeling of being disgusting. She decided to just continue with her soap opera.

"I don't know how it happened but I ended up… dating Raphael? It wasn't like normal dating—I suppose not like I'd know, but I would mostly just visit him and we'd fool around and then he'd get me high and then he'd take off—it was more like he owned me. Kaelie and I started fighting, because I never went out with her so I asked Raph if I could take a night off and he agreed and Kaelie and I went out like we used to. Except someone had decided to mouth off to me and try to take advantage of me. Kaelie and I fought the guy off and I went back and told Raph. The next day… I walked in and I saw the guy that had tried to touch me. He was tied to a chair and had a puddle of urine around his feet. Raphael had found him. He said that the guy had something to say to me and then the guy apologised profusely to me. I have never heard anyone sound so terrified. I accepted his apology and then… Raphael started laying into him."

Jace was horrified and his throat was dry.

"Raphael killed him. Then told me I was under his protection and that no one would ever try to hurt me again… but I was scared. The fear made me stay in Raphael's grasp I drank more, shot up more. I couldn't survive a single day or night without my crutch. It was starting to show as well, teachers were onto me, people in school veered away from me and Kaelie and I split friendships. She didn't understand because she didn't have to worry about it. She just paid like everyone else she didn't need to be Raphael's little slut. One day Raphael and I got into a big fight. He then decided he needed to teach me a lesson and took me out to the Hudson bride and honestly... he beat me senseless and then shot me up with a _massive_ dose of heroin and left me there."

Jace's arms tightened around the redhead and he nuzzled his face into the back of her neck. He felt like wrapping her up in bubble wrap and keeping her away from the rest of the scumbags that were out in the world and he wondered how on Earth a sweet girl like Clary could end up in the hands of a dirty lowlife like Raphael.

"That was actually the best thing he could have done for me; because that night my father was on patrol in that area and he found me. He saved my life that night, and he made Raphael go away. He went to prison for 25 years, and Raphael died in that prison. I went and saw the body and everything. Because I was so scared that Raphael or one of his buddies would find me and kill me and my family in my sleep so I was finally able to relax once I saw his dead body. My dad got me the help I needed. I was sent away to rehab for three months, my Dad told the school I was ill and was recovering at home. So he brought in my school work every week for me and I passed all my classes and then he put me into AA meetings when I got home. I guess the rest is history..." Clary finished.

Jace was speechless. Clary had been through so much and pulled through, survived through it all. She was by far the most incredible girl he had ever met. She shone bright like a star and everyone else were simply satellites.  
Clary hated every second that he was silent. She could practically hear what he was thinking. _Disgusting. Trash. Slut._ She felt sick at her thoughts. _Weak. Easy. Pathetic.  
_ "You are..."  
Clary cringed. _"A disgusting piece of filth. Get off me and out of my apartment and—"  
_ "...The most _incredible_ person I have ever met."

Clary's twisted in his lap to face him. All she could see was adoration and admiration. He… wasn't lying.  
"You are amazing. I have no idea how on Earth you managed to make it through something like that, I couldn't have."  
Clary blinked in shock and felt her emotions well up in her chest and burst. She threw her arms around Jace's neck and hugged him tightly in relief.  
"You don't think I'm disgusting, easy, pathetic, slutty, trash?" she whispered in his ear.  
His hands gripped hard onto her hips and pushed her back slightly so he could stare into her eyes.  
"Never. I could never. And I _never_ want to hear those words come out of your mouth ever again," Jace told her sternly, but then his voice softened. "You are beautiful... hard… wonderful, pure gold, or should I say ruby, considering your hair?"

Clary's eyes filled up with grateful tears and she wanted to kiss him, she wanted to show him how much his words meant to her. The only people who knew about her past with Raphael were her family. Her friends knew she was a fan of alcohol and drugs but not the extent of it that Jace now knew. She had always been scared that they would all reject her but Jace didn't. He accepted her and didn't think less of her. She pushed herself closer and wrapped her arms around his middle squeezing him tightly.  
"Thank you," she whispered.  
One of Jace's arms wrapped around her tightly while the other gently rubbed her back.  
"You don't need to thank me."

* * *

 **So... who saw that coming?**


	23. Chapter 23

**You guys! Wow! I honestly can't believe all the reviews! I've been waiting so long to reveal Clary's secret-I'm just so happy it was well received. Time for Jace's big reveal! I'm kidding... not in this chapter, haha. But it is soon, I promise.  
** **In any case, I hope this chapter restores some love for Sebastian, because I really do actually love him 3**

 **Now, onto the good stuff! Shoutouts to: maayan21051, Tuffin, Angeliel, LOVERGIRL, TisITisITheSaltiestFry, feysandcats, ReadingManiac, EmShhLena, catastrophicmind and reemarie36. Your continued support is what keeps me and this story going xo**

* * *

Clary left Jace's later that day in more of his clothes and made her way over to Isabelle's. She hummed happily to herself as she walked through the front door and waltz her way up to Isabelle's room.  
"Honey! I'm home!" Clary sang, opening the door.  
"Where the hell have you been you dirty tart?!" Isabelle squealed excitedly, from on her bed.  
She leapt up and ran over, frowning at Clary's new outfit. She was wearing the sticky cups again but with one of Jace's fitted tees that didn't really fit her and another pair of his footy shorts.  
"You slept over didn't you? Did you and Sebastian get kinky?" Isabelle teased.  
Clary looked up at Isabelle and smiled wanly.  
"I left Sebastian's house in tears because I'm not good enough for the Verlac's unless I get something better than a Mazda and some laser surgery."

Isabelle looked shell shocked as she processed what she had been told. Clary knew when she had processed it because her eyes darkened and her red painted lips twisted into a snarl.  
"I will personally go over to the Verlac's and rip their throats out for saying such a thing!"  
"It's okay Iz, don't worry about it," Clary laughed, dismissively.  
Isabelle frowned at her behaviour and turned to her best friend her eyes narrowing.  
"So… if you didn't stay with Sebastian… OH!" Isabelle gasped.  
"You had a one night stand!"  
"Iz!"  
Clary gave her an admonishing look.  
"I did not have a one night stand, besides, who steals a one night stand's clothes?" she asked.  
Isabelle shrugged.  
"I would. Actually no, I wouldn't, their clothes wouldn't be flattering enough," Izzy answered.

"So who did you stay with?" Isabelle asked curiously.  
She was very intrigued because Clary would have been very upset leaving Sebastian's so for her to come here as happy as she was she would have had to go to someone she really liked.  
"I went to Jace's."

Isabelle was floored. She knew that the two talked kind of but he was so hot and cold she thought Clary had given up trying to be his friend.  
" _Jace's?_ Like the annoying, arrogant new kid's place?" she asked.  
Clary smiled and blushed.  
"Yeah… from what I remember, I had a good time," Clary said teasingly to Izzy.  
Izzy stared at her curly, red haired friend and shook her head.  
"I-I… wow. I didn't see that coming," she admitted.  
Clary smiled and flopped down on Izzy's bed.  
"He's actually really sweet and kind once you kinda get to know him," Clary told her.  
Izzy looked at her and narrowed her eyes at her. This was starting to smell fishy to her.  
"Oh?"  
"He made me breakfast this morning. And last night he gave me clothes to wear to bed and today he gave me clothes to wear. Plus he really did make sure I was okay last night, because last night sucked. I tried my very best but then Althea, Sebastian's mother, brought up Kaelie and then Sebastian kept saying Kaelie was better than me and it was just kind of a train wreck and Jace helped," Clary told her honestly.  
"Sebastian said… that _Kaelie_ was better than _you_?"

Clary gave her a shrug.  
"Wow. I am going to kill him," Isabelle said cheerfully.  
Clary chuckled and gave her a grin.  
"Get in line."

"So what did you and Jace do all night then? I assume nothing actually interesting," Isabelle laughed.  
"We played Monopoly, in which he beat me, and—"  
"Wait… he beat _you_ at _Monopoly_?" Izzy asked incredulously.  
"I know right!" Clary exclaimed.  
Izzy gave her an approving smile.  
"You should bring him round some time. I would love to see someone beat you at Monopoly, because I still don't believe that's possible," Isabelle laughed.  
"I'll try. But in any case after that Jace's cousin came around and we just… we played Truth or Dare. It sounds so tame but it was actually a lot of fun. I don't really remember specifics, I just remember lots of laughing, alcohol and I think I tried to do the worm?" Clary laughed.  
Izzy laughed just at the mental image she had of Clary flopping on the floor but she looked over at Clary and she looked, relaxed. Completely at ease and she wondered if there wasn't something more between Clary and Jace.

Clary was lying slightly but there was no way in the world she could tell Isabelle about her alcoholism or about the hickey. Isabelle would spontaneously combust.  
"So… what do you think about having a girl day?" Clary asked.  
Isabelle looked at her in surprise and excitement.  
"You mean, a proper girly day? With mani's, pedi's, facials, hair, make up, the works?!" Isabelle squealed in delight.  
Clary smiled.  
"Whatever you like."

Isabelle launched into action and pulled out her phone making appointments, wheedling her way through and gently bullying her way into all the prestigious places she went to.  
"Okay, now, we're going for a mani-pedi straight away, then we'll head over and get a massage before our facial, and finally hair and make up! God, I love you, Clary!" Isabelle declared, giving her a hug.  
"But first of all, you need new clothes. As cute as Jace's clothes are on you, you absolutely cannot be seen in those," Izzy continued, digging into her closet and throwing Clary a pair of high waisted shorts black shorts and a black crop top with a deep green blazer. Clary obediently changed, snagging back her bra that she'd left here the night before.  
"Duck!"  
Clary dropped to the ground as shoes came flying out at her. She was used to Isabelle behaving in this manner and so she simply just pulled on the black ankle boots and stood for Isabelle's inspection. She passed of course and together they walked out to Izzy's BMW and made their way to their first appointment.

"Natasha! Oh thank you so much for squeezing us in, I swear, it is impossible to ever get Clary to come out and do this so it really was an emergency," Izzy greeted the woman at the nail salon eagerly.  
The tall blonde smiled warmly at the two girls and shook her head with a laugh.  
"It's not a problem at all Isabelle, come, sit, we'll set you up at your usual station," Natasha encouraged.  
The two girls walked over and sat next to each other. Isabelle was practically glowing with happiness while Clary was much more chilled. She felt completely at ease sitting here and just waited patiently.

"Have you decided on a design?"  
Clary looked up to see a small brunette woman in front of her.  
"Uh, no… I just… I want something simple and not glitzy or anything," Clary said somewhat shyly.  
The woman nodded and gave her a warm smile.  
"I think I know just the thing," she reassured her and set about working on Clary's nails.  
The girls chatted idly as the nail technicians worked on their nails and then Isabelle asked the dreaded question.

"So what happened between you and Sebastian last night?"  
Clary sighed and quickly recounted the whole story and even her nail technician paused to listen to her.  
"Honey, he's not interested. I don't know what is going on in his head but he's not interested," she told Clary.  
Clary looked at her uncertainly and then shrugged.  
"Honestly, I'm not quite sure if I care… because even if he was interested… he didn't even say a word in my favour, and I don't… I feel..." Clary struggled to find the right words.  
She thought back to how Jace treated her and about how Sebastian treated her and she just knew. Sebastian… he just didn't seem genuine.  
"He just doesn't feel genuine, y'know?" Clary asked, trying to see if Izzy could understand.  
She nodded solemnly and smiled at her.  
"You know I always want the best for you, if you're not feeling it… then you're not feeling it. It's okay to not feel it," she said gently.  
Clary smiled at her. She was so glad Isabelle was her best friend.  
"So today we really need to get you done up to the 9's because tomorrow at school you are going to remind everyone of just how hot you are!"

Another 15 minutes later and her nails were done. Katie, her nail technician, had done simple nude coloured nails on most of her nails, her ring fingernails being white with gold chevrons. Clary loved it.  
"Thank you! You are amazing!" she gushed.  
Katie just laughed her kind words away.  
"Come back and see me in three weeks and I'll fill the gap in. Plus I wanna hear all about what happens next with you and Sebastian," she said with a wink.  
Clary smiled and nodded.  
"Will do, Katie," she promised.

The whole day passed in a blur, the massage made Clary feel like new again, her facial was nice and getting her hair cut, styled and blow dried plus the make up made her feel like a million dollars.  
"And now shopping!" Izzy declared as they sauntered out of the salon.  
Clary's hair was now about 5 inches shorter and curlier but not as wild, and they had styled her hair so that it framed her face, making her look a bit more refined. She had also asked them to ombre her hair so the ends were now a natural looking blonde. Her make up was simple but bold. The make up artist had gone and given her an all black eye, smoked out the edges and then dusted glitter over the top. The result was spectacular and Clary was feeling confident so she shrugged and agreed with Izzy.

"I'm going to get you an outfit for tomorrow. So stay there and try on whatever I give you," she instructed her.  
Clary raised her hands in compliance and sat on the couch outside the change rooms. Izzy came back with very little clothing and Clary eyed her warily.  
"That doesn't look like much..." Clary commented doubtfully.  
"Try it on."  
Clary sighed and went into the change room and pulled the clothes on. Her mouth dropped when she saw herself in the mirror.  
"Iz! Jon will have a heart attack! I'm going to get _dress-coded_!" Clary exclaimed and walked out.  
Isabelle smirked at her and Clary tried to be mad but when she turned back to the mirror she couldn't hide her smile.  
"It's perfect."

Clary walked into the school that morning feeling like a million dollars. Her hair was styled as it was yesterday in the salon(it took her nearly an hour!) and then she had gone over to Isabelle's whom had made up her face, smoothing her skin out, accentuating cheekbones and did her magic on her eyes so that they were practically glowing. All that paired was paired with her outfit. Her outfit consisted of a dusty rose coloured, sheer panel, lace bodysuit with black accents(mostly over the bust to hide the bra), and midnight black ripped jeans topped off by four inch wedges.

Clary felt powerful and beautiful especially as people parted around her and she got the appreciative looks Isabelle usually got. She walked down the hallway with a slight sway to her hips and a loud banging and familiar cursing caught her ear. She smiled as she rounded the corner to see Jace battling with his locker still.

"Still having troubles with that old thing?" she asked.  
Jace growled in frustration and gave it a kick, his back to her.  
"Yep, it hates me," he grumbled.  
"Do you want me to give you a hand?" she asked.  
"Yes pl—Whoa," Jace stuttered as he turned to face her.

Jace knew he was staring but he couldn't pull his eyes away. He had never seen Clary like this before. She was in some sheer, lacy top that was tucked into a pair of ripped jeans with a pair of shoes that slimmed her legs down and gave her about 4 extra inches. Her hair had been styled and the ends had been dyed blonde and normally he'd hate it but on her… it looked amazing. Her face had been make up as well the attention all being stolen by her eyes, they were rimmed in a dark, smoky charcoal with hints of glitter, pink and gold over the lid and her lashes looked full and long. She looked sexy. In a completely unattainable way and so unlike the way that girls like Kaelie and Seelie tried. They were all about showing skin and low morals. Clary was… in short, classy.

He barely even noticed that she had moved until she was brushing beside him and opening his locker. Her hair smelled of berry and it was all he could smell. She opened his locker for him and turned to him.  
"There you go," she said sweetly.  
"I-I uh, th-thank you," he stuttered.  
She giggled as he cursed himself for looking like a dolt.  
"You look incredible, like twenty out of ten," he blurted out to her.  
Her eyes softened at him and her smile grew.  
"Thanks, Jace. I appreciate that," she responded quietly.  
He looked over her once more and then forced himself to turn into his locker and focus on school.

"Wow, Clary, you look—amazing."  
Clary sighed at the voice coming up next to her.  
"Hey Sebastian," she greeted him quietly.  
"I just wondered… if we could talk?" he asked her.

She glanced up at him and could see he looked a little remorseful and she sighed and pressed her lips together. She gestured for him to follow and she took him outside slightly away from the people making their way in.

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked him, crossing her arms over her chest.  
"Saturday, I'm uh… I'm really sorry," he mumbled.  
Clary raised her eyebrows at him.  
"You think a little 'sorry' will fix it? No, do better Sebastian," she told him.  
His face twisted in confusion and a little bit of frustration.  
"What do you mean? I apologised!" he asked.  
"Typical rich guy behaviour. Say sorry and all is okay 'cause of who you are, but I'm sorry. Us _poor people_ need something more than that," Clary snapped.  
Sebastian stared at her affronted.  
"What the hell do you mean by that?"  
"Oh what? Don't you _like_ being defined by your economical status?" Clary asked scathingly.  
Sebastian stared at her and then shook his head.

"You're right, you're right. I deserve that. I'm sorry, Clary. I am a complete dick and I was wrong to define you like that and I really am sorry," he said softly, his eyes looking at her beseechingly.  
Clary looked at him but her heart sank. He wasn't saying what she wanted, what she needed to hear from him.  
"Sebastian. Why are you dating me?" she asked him gently, laying her hand carefully on his arm.  
He looked at her weirdly.  
"What do you mean?" he asked her.  
"Why did you ask me to be your girlfriend?" she asked patiently.  
He gave her a confused look.  
"Where are you going with this?" he asked her slightly testy.  
She rolled her eyes.  
"Just answer my damn question," Clary grumbled.

Sebastian snorted and stepped away from her running his hands through his hair.  
"You're being silly Clary," he told her.  
Clary glared at him and crossed her arms.  
"It's not rocket science, Seb! Why is this such a big drama?" she asked him.  
"Because you're being stupid! Why the hell do you think I asked you? Why did you say yes?" he demanded.  
"Because I liked you and I trusted you," Clary answered quietly.  
Sebastian stared at her.  
"I thought that we would be happy," she added.

All of Sebastian's aggression melted out of his body. He was looking at her in surprise like he had never thought of anything like that.  
"You didn't ask me for you, did you?" she asked him gently.  
He stayed mute.  
"I think, I think you actually really like Kaelie," she pressed on.  
His face twitched slightly and Clary knew she had hit the nail. She ignored the slight squeeze in her gut, because she had kind of hoped she was wrong.  
"What I don't understand is, why don't you go after her?"  
"Mom doesn't… she won't approve," Sebastian finally croaked.  
"So?" Clary asked. "What's more important? Being a Verlac or being happy?"

Sebastian stared at her.  
"I don't… why… why?" he asked her.  
She smiled slightly sadly up at him.  
"We're friends, aren't we?" she asked him.

He stared down at her and for the first time it was how a boyfriend should look at his girlfriend. He was staring down at her in wonder, awe and with a modicum of love.  
She smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head on his chest. His arms wrapped tenderly around her.

"You are such a good person. I wish I was as half as good as you…"  
Clary chuckled slightly.  
"You are a good person Sebastian, you just need the right person to be good with… and I am not that person."  
He pulled back slightly and cupped her face.  
"I wish you were," he said softly and gently pressed his lips to hers.

Her eyes fluttered shut and she gently rested her hands on his shoulders. The kiss was full of a form of longing and appreciation and she knew they were saying goodbye. As partners they hadn't worked, but hopefully this would mean they would have a good, solid friendship.  
Sebastian pulled back and rested his forehead on hers.  
"I'm sorry."  
"You can't help who you love, Sebastian. So just go after her. I'm 90% sure she feels the same way so just run up to her and sweep her off her feet," Clary reassured him.  
His hand squeezed hers gently and he nodded.  
"I hope you find your right person Clary, I really do. You deserve to be happy," Sebastian told her. "And I _am_ really sorry about Saturday. You did not deserve that in the slightest. You're beautiful—Inside and out and I must've made you feel about two inches tall. If anyone ever does that to you again, you tell me and I'll teach them not to."  
Clary smiled, her eyes slightly damp from the sentiment.  
"Thanks Seb. Now go get your girl, and tell her to stop stabbing me with her eyes," Clary laughed.  
Seb smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead before they separated.

Together they walked in and Clary smiled upon seeing her friends waiting for her at her locker. Clary also spied Kaelie up ahead and she nudged Sebastian who now looked slightly green.  
"What if she doesn't like me?" he asked her.  
Clary turned to him and wanted to slap him—in a friendly manner, of course.  
"Sebastian. She wants you so bad she just won't admit it. Ever since we've gotten together she has absolutely _hated_ me. Just don't think go up there and _show her._ Girls love that kinda thing," Clary laughed.  
Sebastian nodded and started to bounce on his tip toes and shake his shoulders like he did before a game of football. Clary watched him amused and he took a deep breath.  
"Here goes nothing," he muttered.  
He took off running and Clary saw her friends look between them in confusion. She smiled and watched as Sebastian ran to Kaelie, lifted her up in his arms and planted a big one her lips.

Simon looked outraged as did Isabelle and he began to roll up his sleeves.  
"That's it, no one does that to Clary," Simon puffed.  
Clary just laughed and rested her hand on his shoulder.  
"It's okay, Si. I told him to," she reassured him.  
Everyone just turned to her in shock.  
"I'm sorry biscuit, but did he give you a blow to the back of the head?" Magnus asked her.

Clary looked at them and then turned back to where Sebastian and Kaelie were. She was smiling so widely and so happily it was a glimpse of what he had been like before high school. Plus Sebastian was looking at her in a way he had never looked at Clary.  
"Look at them, and tell me that they don't deserve to be happy together?" Clary demanded.  
They all looked at the pair and back at her.  
"They'll win Prom King and Queen and we will see them at the reunion in 10 years. They'll be happy and with 3 rugrats running around," Clary said quietly.  
"You are the most selfless person I know, Clary," Alec put in quietly.  
She just shrugged.  
"I wasn't feeling it, and it's okay for me not to feel it."


	24. Chapter 24

**Hi guys! I have to leave for work in 5 minutes so this is unedited and a bit raw, but I had to post something for you! Will return and edit add shout outs etc when I get home from work!**

 **Shoutouts! maayan21051, catastrophicmind, TisITisITheSaltiestFry, feysandcats, Tuffin, marmaids, EmShhLena, READINGMANIAC, reemarie36 and our Guest!**

 **You make my day and night so much, never doubt the power of your words xo**

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Jace was just walking out of class for lunch when he saw Sebastian Verlac… all over Kaelie. His face went white and vision red. He stormed over and ripped Sebastian away.  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Jace growled.  
Sebastian glared at the blonde boy.  
"Get your murderous hands off me, Herondale!" he snarled.  
Kaelie was off to the side seemingly shell shocked.  
"You are a dirty, lying prick!" Jace spat at him.  
"Jace! What the hell?!" Kaelie screeched at him.  
"If you don't get out of my face we are going to have a big problem," Sebastian growled threateningly.  
"Seems we already have one," Jace told him.  
"Well fine," Sebastian said and shoved him hard.  
Jace stumbled back a step and glared at him.  
"Don't you dare touch me," Jace seethed.  
"Or what?! You'll run to _Mommy_?" Sebastian sneered and shoved him again.  
"I'm warning you Sebastian. Don't _touch me_."  
Sebastian raised his hands to shove him again but they were caught by someone else's.

Jace looked up to see Jon standing in between him and Sebastian.  
"Jon! One minute I'm minding my own damn business and the next he's up in my face calling me a liar!" Sebastian was ranting.  
"You're cheating on Clary! In broad fricking daylight!" Jace spat back, standing up.  
A familiar giggle caught his ear and he turned to see Clary beside Jon as Jon turned to Sebastian with a look of fury on his face.  
"You what now?" Jon asked Sebastian.  
"I absolutely was not!" Sebastian insisted, his eyes wild.  
"Jonny..." Clary said softly, placing her hand on his arm.  
He turned to her, listening intently.  
"Seb and I broke up this morning. It's okay, if Jace did catch him with Kaelie and this is reason for the fight, it's because he didn't know. We've only been broken up for about three hours," Clary explained.  
Sebastian gave Jon a look and Jace felt like an idiot.  
"Shit, I'm sorry Sebastian. I-I didn't know. I am so sorry, I thought I was looking out for Clary," Jace apologised, sticking his hand out.  
Sebastian glared at him.  
"Maybe you should think before barging into other people's business," Sebastian snarled.  
"Fair call," Jace sighed, pulling back his hand.

"So let me get this straight, You and Clary broke up three hours ago and already you're sticking your tongue down Kaelie's throat. Nice, Sebastian," Jon snapped.  
Sebastian gave him a hurt look and Clary slapped him on the shoulder.  
"No, Jon. It's not like that!" she defended.  
Jace was perplexed as to why she was defending Sebastian but didn't say anything.  
"Oh really? And how is it different Clarissa? Friday you guys were attached at the hip—you even went to his place, and now all of a sudden you're not together?" Jon paused for a moment and then gave Sebastian a poisonous glare.  
"He didn't do anything to you, did he? 'Cause I'll kill him if he did," Jon growled, tensing up to attack Sebastian.  
"For Pete's sake, Jonathan! You think he would still be standing if he tried something like that?! Where the hell is your loyalty and trust?! Sebastian is not like that at all!" Clary snapped. "We got into an argument on Friday and I spent the weekend thinking about it and we broke up this morning because we weren't feeling it! We are _not_ meant to be together! But he and Kaelie are! I told him to go for who he really cares about and he 100% had my blessing to do whatever the hell he wants with her!"

The whole corridor was silent after Clary's outburst. Sebastian looked relieved that Clary had set Jon straight and Kaelie was looking at Clary with new eyes.  
" _You_ told him?" she asked Clary quietly.  
Clary smiled.  
"You guys deserve each other, you make each other happy and I don't ever want to be in the way of someone's happiness," Clary told her.  
Kaelie stepped out, her heels clicking and she reached out and hugged Clary.  
"Thank you," she whispered in her ear.  
Clary just smiled and hugged her back.  
"So are we good?" Sebastian asked, tentatively to Jon.  
Jon stared at him and nodded once. Sebastian sighed in relief and took Kaelie under his arm, the two walking off.

The crowd dispersed and finally it was left with just Jon, Jace and Clary. Clary was infront of Jace looking at him amused.  
"Thanks for sticking up for me," she told him. "Even if it didn't exactly need it."  
Jace just shrugged.  
"I always will… just next time tell me when you break up with someone so I don't look like a moron trying to defend your honour," Jace joked with her.  
Clary blushed and looked down.  
"Sorry. I would have told you but I hadn't seen you," she mumbled.

Jon watched the two interact quietly. Clary and Jace seemed awfully comfortable and familiar with each other despite having spent little time together. He saw Clary look up at him and watched him look down at her affectionately and he realised… it wasn't just Sebastian with feelings for someone else.

"So, Clary, as your Official Outfit Checker, I have to say, I do not approve in the slightest. Did Isabelle force you into it?" he asked her.  
Clary smirked at him.  
"Nope, I chose it," she teased.  
Jon made the same face he made when he ate a lemon.  
"Well, you're changing. You've been in it long enough to make every single guy think exactly what they shouldn't be," he warned, sending a warning glare to Jace.  
Jace raised his arms above his head in peace.  
"Whoa man, no," he assured quickly, lying of course.  
"I'm not changing, Jon. You can make the sour lemon face as much as you want even until your head explodes. I'm not changing," Clary told him matter of factly.  
Jon and Clary had a mini glare contest before Jon's eyes moved to Jace. He was looking at Clary like he had never seen her before and Jon wasn't sure he liked it. Jon narrowed his eyes at him and shrugged off his jacket draping it around Clary's shoulders. She rolled her eyes but knew it was the best she was going to get. She slid her arms into the sleeves and shuffled it so it was comfortable.  
"Thanks Jon, can you go now please?" Clary huffed.  
Jon eyed the two carefully but Clary's glare told him to get moving before she killed him.  
"You know where to find me," he called out to them as he started to walk away.  
"Yeah, over with the preschool kids who eat glue right?" Clary yelled after him.  
His response was the finger.

Clary laughed and then faced back to Jace.  
"So, how did it feel to look like a complete idiot trying to break them apart?" Clary asked him pretending she had a microphone to his mouth.  
Jace groaned and pushed her hand away.  
"I felt like an idiot. He already hates me and I just made it so much worse," he muttered.  
"Why do you hate each other?" Clary asked him curiously.  
"I don't hate him. I just think he's as much a dick as he is a decent guy," Jace replied honestly.  
Clary pondered that for a moment but she wasn't sure if she agreed. She ducked her head slightly as she thought but then froze as she felt a hand move her hair away from her face. She looked up to see Jace's golden eyes filled with concern.

"Clary?" he asked her softly, as if talking too loud would break the moment.  
"Yes?" she murmured, looking into his eyes.  
"Are you okay with Sebastian and Kaelie?" he asked her.  
Her eyes dropped again for a moment.  
"It hurts a little but honestly, I am okay. It's not anything personal, I just don't like losing," she laughed quietly.  
He nodded briefly and then looked at his feet.  
"Are you okay… with Saturday night?" he asked her.  
She tensed slightly.  
"What do you mean?" she asked him warily.  
"Are _you_ okay? About falling off?" he clarified.  
He studied her every movement as she paused to answer.

"Yes. I am okay. I have always been so scared that I would fall straight back in and need it all again… and don't get me wrong, I'm more tempted than ever to do it again but, I'm in control. I feel in control. I can say 'no'," Clary tried to explain.  
Jace nodded.  
"Have you told your family?" he asked.  
Clary's eyes dropped again and he could see the shame and guilt in her eyes.  
"No," she whispered.  
"You should at least tell Jon," he said.  
Clary's lips pressed together.  
"I can't, he'll be so ashamed of me."  
"No, he won't. He loves you too damn much. He should know, just so he can help, keeping secrets is what started this all in the first place. How do you think keeping this a secret is going to help?" Jace reasoned.  
Clary sighed and turned away, she twisted a lock of hair around her finger.  
"You don't get it," she moaned.  
"Then tell me," he pressed.  
"How?! How do I tell you that every single time he looks at me I _know_ he's seeing me screaming and crying and throwing up from withdrawal pain. That I can remember the fear and guilt in his eyes—He blamed himself y'know; for my problem. And now, every time a guy looks at me he wants to kill them because he's scared that what happened with Raphael will happen again. I'm surprised he's even letting me talk to you! He spent so many hours with me, trying to fix me… I can't tell him I broke," Clary finished in a whisper.

Jace didn't know what to say, all he knew was he didn't know if he could hold this responsibility on his own. He wanted to be there for Clary but he didn't know how. He felt it was right to tell Jon.  
"Clary, he's your brother. He loves you. He probably even thought this would happen. Most people fall off the bandwagon," Jace persisted.  
Clary sighed and shook her head.  
"I-I can't bear to have him look at me that way again," she whispered.  
" _Clary_ , he _won't._ I promise. I'll even be there," he encouraged.  
She looked up at him with a faint glimmer of hope.  
"You will?" she asked.  
"If you want me to be."  
She took a moment to consider it before nodding.

"Hey Jonny, can I talk to you?" Clary whispered.  
Jon was at their table of friends in the middle of eating lunch and when he looked up to see Clary so nervous and Jace right behind her, he immediately jumped into overprotective, worried brother mode.  
"Of course, one sec. We'll go outside," he said, abandoning his lunch.  
They walked out to the courtyard and sat in a semi-private area under a tree.

"What's up, don't tell me you got into a fight already, Jace," Jon laughed, trying to ease the tension.  
Jace laughed quietly while waiting for Clary to start.  
Jon waited patiently as Clary turned more and more green and Jace just sat back on the bench relaxing.  
Clary opened her mouth to say something and Jon tilted his head attentively to her but that seemed to scare her.

"Jace, I can't do this!" she quickly whirled around to face him.  
Jace just smiled at her, at her shaking hands and gave her a quizzical look.  
"What do you mean? Of course you can, it's Jon, remember?"  
"That's what I mean! I can't do this Jace!"  
"Yes, you can," he told her firmly.  
She bit her lip.  
"What the hell is going on… Clary, are you pregnant?" Jon asked.  
He normally wouldn't be worried but something was a bit weird. Their heads both snapped to him at breakneck speed.

"What?"  
"No."  
"Jonny I am not pregnant, I promise."  
Clary reached behind her and squeezed onto Jace's hand tightly for confidence and reassurance. His calloused hands held hers firmly, let her know he was here but not trying to take her attention away.  
"Jon… I-I...IfelloffthewagonandgotdrunkwithJace," Clary blurted out in one mad rush.  
Jon and Jace both stared at her.  
"What?" Jon asked.  
Clary looked at Jace.  
"I told him," she whined.  
He raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed.  
"Please don't be mad or disappointed, Jonny," Clary whispered.  
"I promise," he assured her.  
Clary nodded and sighed.

"I-I fell off the wagon Jonny. I got drunk the other night," She admitted.  
Jon stared at her in shock. He didn't know what to say.  
"At least you're not pregnant," he finally croaked.  
Clary and Jace both laughed.  
"So wait, did you tell Jace about…?" Jon asked her.  
Clary nodded.  
"Why did you get drunk?" Jon asked her.  
"Because dinner with Sebastian's parents went awfully and it made me really upset and I told Jace that I wanted to forget and he suggested getting drunk, and I said yes," Clary admitted.  
Jon's eye twitched slightly.  
"You knew about her problem and you suggested _that_? You little fu—"  
"Whoa, no. Absolutely not! If I had known _at the time_ I wouldn't have suggested it at all, but I didn't know until the next morning!" Jace quickly back pedalled to set Jon straight.

"He's telling the truth, Jon. I didn't tell him until after," Clary defended him.  
Jon's eyes flickered between the two.  
"Does this mean you actually stayed at Jace's instead of with Isabelle like you told our parents?"  
Clary's face went white as did Jace's.  
"Uh, no. I, uh, we, uh—actually—um," Clary stuttered.  
Jon smirked.  
"You have to do my dishes for a month, give me your dessert for 2 months and do all the vacuuming for a month," Jon blackmailed her.  
"Two months without dessert?!" Clary whined.  
Jon smirked.  
"Mean," she muttered.

Jace, meanwhile, was just glad to have kept his head. He felt like Jon would have no issues decapitating him if he thought he was hurting her.  
"But on a serious note…Why Clary, Sebastian's not worth what you gave up. You know that."  
Clary sighed and looked at Jon and shrugged.  
"I was just hurt, Jonny. It was a pretty bad argument. And I promise I don't feel like I did before. Even after the big night I really don't feel like drinking. I don't feel like any drugs either, which I was always really scared about. I don't want any of it," Clary finished with a smile.  
Jon gave a huge sigh of relief and drew his sister into a hug.  
"You have no idea how relieved that makes me. Thank you for telling me," he murmured in her ear.

"I'll be honest, I wasn't going to… Jace told me to," Clary admitted.  
Jon looked up at Jace and nodded. He was so grateful to the boy because now that he knew he could keep an eye on Clary and just make sure she really was okay. He wouldn't miss the signs this time if she was slipping back in.  
Jon pulled away from Clary and then reached in to give Jace a big man hug.  
"Thanks… Again."  
Jace returned the hug feeling somewhat awkward. He and Jon had become good friends over the past month or so but he wasn't really expecting them to be on 'bro-hug' terms.  
"Take care of her when I'm not around, Jace. I've known you for the least amount of time yet somehow I feel like I trust you the most. Don't make me regret it," Jon told him quietly.  
Jace nodded and pulled away from the hug.  
"Of course."

"Are you done being guys now?" Clary asked.  
"Yes, and now I am going in for some food," Jon declared.  
Clary smiled in glee.  
"Sounds fantastic! C'mon Jace, come sit with us," she encouraged.  
Jace's stomach churned slightly at the thought of sitting with all those people but he reasoned that Clary would be there and he now knew most of the people thanks to Clary and school anyway.  
"Sure, just let me go and grab my lunch," he said.  
"Okay, I'll go with. I'll meet you inside Jon," Clary told her brother.  
He nodded and they all separated, Jon going to the cafeteria. Jace and Clary going to their lockers.

As they walked it was silent, but a comfortable one. It was nice not to have to fill the air with chatter, Clary thought. They passed by a couple pressed up against a wall and Clary blushed. It wasn't that she was a prude, she just felt that _that_ kind of action should be left for more private areas.

Now suddenly she had a mental image of Jace just grabbing her arm and turning her before lifting her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. His lips would find hers just as her back would hit the wall and he would take advantage of that moment to delve deeper. Her fingers would twist into his hair as his kept her firmly in place against him.

Clary shivered slightly as her imagination ran away from her and took a moment to sneak a glance at Jace next to her, only to find he was looking at her. Her cheeks lit up and she quickly averted her eyes. She heard Jace chuckle lightly next to her and she smacked him on the arm.  
"What are you laughing at?" she grumbled.  
"Oh nothing, just touched you think of me when we pass people practically making babies in the hallway," he teased with a grin.  
Her face went darker and he grinned wider.  
"You _so_ were!"  
"Shut up," she grumbled, embarrassed.

Jace stopped and she looked at him in confusion.  
"Was it kinky?" he asked, a twinkle in this eye.  
"No, now c'mon," she mumbled.

He could see she was embarrassed but he just couldn't help himself, she looked really cute when she was blushing and frustrated. He stepped in closer to her, making her look up at him. At this point he wasn't even sure what he was doing.  
Clary wasn't sure what he was playing at, by stepping in and closing her into the wall but she decided not to behave the way she normally would—stepping back and letting him win. She decided she would play at his game.  
"Was it fun?" he asked her.  
She smirked up at him, ignoring the fluttering in her stomach. She gently reached up and placed one hand on his shoulder and one finger on her lip, pretending to think.  
"I think so," she responded in an innocent voice.  
He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head down at her.  
"You think so?"

He had no idea what she was playing at but her face morphed into one of complete innocence was making his mind go wild. Her lips were slightly pouted and her eyes were twinkling. There was so little space between them now, and between their bodies he could practically feel the heat and electricity between them.  
"Well, we were very close together," she whispered to him.  
Her hand pulled on his shoulder and he automatically gave into the pressure and stepped closer so that now he basically _was_ pressing her into the wall. He felt his heart rate accelerate as her arms circled around his neck. He tentatively reached out with his own hands to rest them on her hips, trying to not squeeze her too tightly. She smirked up at him and leaned up to whisper in his ear.

"That's not where your hands were."

Jace stifled a groan against her neck as his imagination ran wild. He wanted to behave in a completely ungentlemanly manner and she was making it so much more difficult to not cave it.  
"Where were my hands?" he whispered huskily into her ear.  
Clary felt a shiver go right down her spine at his tone and took a deep breath. She looked at Jace to get a measure of him and how far he could go before she crossed the line. His lips were parted and she could feel his uneven breath ghosting over her face, his eyes were dark though. They were an encompassing dark honey colour, dark with want and desire and Clary felt... strong and beautiful. He was looking at her like she was the only thing left in his world and he needed her.  
She decided to push and keep going.

"Your hands were just a little bit lower than that," she told him.

As much as he wanted to follow her train of thought he hesitated. He wasn't going to let his hormones overtake and push Clary too far.  
Clary smiled as she realised Jace was going to respect personal boundaries, she liked that most of all about him. But this was a game, and she wanted to win. She ran her fingers lightly down his arms, internally gawking over the muscles she could feel, until her hands were on top of his.

His eyes met hers and she nodded almost imperceptibly and he allowed her to guide his hands down to the curve of her ass and he gave her a light squeeze, watching carefully to ensure he wasn't crossing any lines. She smiled at him innocently as her hands returned to his hair.

"Catch," she whispered.

 _Catch?_

She jumped up suddenly and he immediately caught her and held onto her, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist. Jace groaned at the sudden connection and looked up at her to see her grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat. He knew then that regardless of whatever game they were playing, he lost. He was simply, lost in her.  
As she looked down at him with a smile, her hair fell down like red waterfalls around them and the angle that she was at and the angle he was looking at her from made her breasts look much bigger. Her lips were wide in her grin and her eyes sparkling. He always came back to her eyes, they had ensnared him from the first day. But most of all he couldn't understand just how right this felt to him, to hold her in his arms.  
"Was that all?" he asked her.

He saw her pause for a moment then that grin came back. This time he couldn't stifle the growl as her fingers tangled into his hair and pulled hard on them.  
Clary almost forgot what she was doing when she heard the deep rumble from Jace, but it gave her the courage to finish off the daydream. She tilted her head down and she saw Jace's eyes widen in surprise. She gently pulled on his hair again and he made that same noise. He glared at her as she smirked.

"We were a little bit… attached."

"Oh?"

Clary nodded moved her hands to cup his face and gently pull his face up to meet hers.  
Just as their lips touched, a voice broke them apart.

" _Detention!_ "


	25. Chapter 25

**There is a lot of drama in this one. There is also some profanity and mature themes(absolutely nothing graphic but a little bit sensitive). It's an experience from Clary's past with Raphael, to give you some idea.  
Also I was wondering if maybe this should be moved to M? Is that a good idea or am I being a bit sensitive? I'm not sure, I've read lots of T stories that shouldn't be T and are but, I spend a lot of time with my 5 and 4 y/o niece and nephew so maybe I'm being sensitive to content because of censoring for them... if that sentence makes any sense.**

Anyway, onto shoutouts! maayan21510, marmaids, LOVERGIRL, Tuffin, feysandcats, catastrophicmind, EmShhLena, xTheMorningStarx, TisITisITheSaltiestFry ReadingManiac, Herondale-potter-jackson, reemarie36! You guys... I don't even know what to say xx You make my world go round, that is all xo

* * *

Clary grumbled as she walked to detention. Stupid Jace and his stupid game and her stupid need to play him back, but most of all, stupid teacher for ruining it. She blushed as felt the ghost of Jace's hands on her body and her spine tingled as she remembered the primal sound of his growl when she pulled on his hair. She also wondered where all of that had come from. It was extremely unlike her to behave in such a manner with someone—even Sebastian hadn't been subjected to something so… forward. She didn't understand just how it was so easy to interact with Jace. To be honest she didn't really know the kid.  
She frowned as she realised just how true that was.  
He knew her deepest darkest secret, and she didn't even know what his middle name was. She knew he liked football, music and classics. He lived mostly alone because his Dad was away a lot. He was first and foremost a gentleman and mostly lived his life in fear. She couldn't tell you anything else about him though.  
She wondered how a person she knew so little about had gained her trust so quickly and for one small moment she thought of Raphael. She hadn't known him and she had trusted him blindly. She considered briefly that Jace might be the same but then she shook her head clear of such thoughts, Jace was nothing like Raphael and she was stupid for thinking so.

She reached the detention room to see that it was the wood shop classroom. She groaned, that meant tonnes of sweeping, vacuuming, and cleaning. She walked in to see Jace already waiting and Seelie beside him, along with a kid who looked terrified to be here. She gave Seelie a polite nod, the kid a reassuring smile and Jace a warm grin as she took a seat at a bench.  
"Nice to see you could join us, Clarissa," the teacher drawled sarcastically.  
Clary didn't bother responding, knowing it could only make things worse.  
"Okay, I honestly don't care what you do or how you do it, but I want this room spotless in an hour. I have to attend a staff meeting that will run for approximately an hour. If I come back and this place isn't spotless you will be back all week scrubbing with a toothbrush," he droned on.  
Seelie gave a loud sigh and checked her fingernails. Clary knew the girl wasn't going to do anything the whole time as she would be too scared to chip a nail.  
"Don't kill yourselves."  
With that last input, the teacher left.

The nervous kid jumped straight up and immediately grabbed a broom and started sweeping. Clary smiled at his nerves and decided to try and ease them. She stood up and collected a broom as well and started sweeping next to the kid.  
"Hey," she greeted him.  
He looked up at her wide eyed.  
"H-h-hi… You're Clary..." he stuttered.  
She chuckled lightly and nodded.  
"That I am, I'm sorry, but I don't know your name yet," Clary apologised softly.  
"I-I'm Nick, I-I j-Just started this y-year," he stuttered out.  
Clary smiled at him and looked back at their sweeping.  
"First detention?" she asked him kindly.  
"Yes," he mumbled.  
"Don't be scared. So long as it's acceptable he won't make us scrub with a toothbrush. It's easier to scare into submission right?" Clary laughed lightly.

Jace watched their interactions offhandedly. He liked how kind she was, even without knowing who this kid was here she was assuaging his fears. He had to admit, he also liked the way her body twisted and her ass looked as she swept. He had no idea what exactly was happening between them, it seemed since she let him in their flirting had stepped up a notch, hell they'd actually started flirting—which got them stuck in this mess to begin with. When her lips had touched his he had felt in that moment that he had just struck gold. His heart had leapt into his throat and he thought he had forgotten how to breathe—then that stupid teacher had to ruin it all.

"Jaaace!"  
He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the source of the whining. It turned out to be Seelie. He took a deep sigh and turned to her.  
"Yes, Seelie?" he asked her patiently.  
"Can you help me?" she whined.  
He wondered how someone's voice could be so grating. Kaelie's voice was easy to block out but Seelie's just reached a pitch that made him want to scratch his ears off.  
He nodded in response to her stepped over to her, easily lifting the box of tools she had barely attempted to lift.  
"You're so strong, Jace," she cooed.  
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes but a snort interrupted his thoughts. He glanced over to see Clary grinning in amusement and leaning on her broom watching them. She caught his eye and then proceeded to bat her eyelids at him and swoon overzealously. This time he couldn't keep from rolling his eyes and turned away.

As he did he didn't see the nasty look Seelie had sent Clary. He walked to the storage closet and opened the door, before stepping in and placing it in its correct place. Before he could react he heard the door open and slam shut with a lock sliding in it's place.  
"What th—"  
He was instantly cut off by a pair of unfamiliar lips forced onto his own. He knew they weren't Clary's because he knew she tasted nearly always of mint, and she smelled of autumn and berries. It was honestly his favourite smell in the whole world.  
These lips were sticky from too much lip product and smelled fake—like hairspray and cheap perfume. He pushed the offending person away.

"What the hell are you doing, Seelie?"  
His eyes slowly adjusted to the dark to see Seelie pouting in front of him.  
"I just figured since Sebastian and Kaelie are together now that you would have needs that needed taking care of," she answered.  
He was furious that she thought she could just come in here and assume what he wanted and needed—and to think she was the person to fulfil those.  
"My _needs_ are being taken care of just fine, thank you," he growled at her.  
She sighed in irritation and he saw her shoot a poisonous look outside the closet.  
"Clary. Always knew she was still a dirty whore."

The effect was instantaneous. If she had been a guy he would have decked her simply for speaking such words. As such, he bristled and lowered his tone.

"Don't you _dare_ speak of her, Seelie," he threatened.  
She gave him a condescending snarl.  
"Oh, please! Don't tell me you fall for her innocent act! She may have everyone else fooled—including her brother, but she can't fool me," she spat. "Once a whore, always a whore."  
Jace could hear the blood rushing in his ears.  
"Did you know she's taken three guys at once? Apparently she used to do it regularly, and enjoy it. Kaelie's seen her. So I hope you have a friend to help you satisfy _her_ needs."  
Jace was speechless and absolutely livid with Seelie.  
"Shut your damn mouth, Seelie."  
"Oh, don't like what you don't wanna hear? Isn't that funny?" Seelie snarked back at him.  
"Seelie..." he growled, unable to think of anything else to say.  
"She is nothing but a drugged up whore who needs a dick in every hole to feel whole. I hear she begs for it, and that she'll do anything for another hit."  
Jace could feel his fists clenching and he had to remind himself to breathe and just count to ten.  
"So c'mon Jace… I only need one man to satisfy me. I'm not whore. We could have a much better time than you've ever had with _her_ ," Seelie persuaded.  
Jace shot her an absolutely revolted look.  
"You are the very last person I _ever_ want to touch. I'd rather have sex with an tree stump. And you kiss like a dead fish," Jace snapped at her.  
Seelie's face darkened and she fisted her hand on his shirt and pulled him closer so he could see directly into her eyes.  
"You will regret that Jonathan Herondale."  
"Yeah, splinters hurt like a bitch."

He stormed out the closet and Clary gave him a concerned look. He barely even acknowledged her as he stormed through the door and left. She blinked in shock and then saw Seelie leave. Seelie gave her a poisonous look and then followed suit.  
"Well, I guess it's up to us, Nick."

Clary didn't see Jace for a whole week. He simply wasn't in school and she thought it was a bit too weird to go back to his apartment to check on him. The next week though Jace was back in school, but avoiding her like the plague. Clary was confused, hurt and didn't know what to think. She thought maybe she had scared him off by being too forward, he was like a skittish wild animal after all. So she decided at lunch to track him down and apologise for taking things too far.

She found him at his locker getting his lunch and she gave him a tentative smile.  
"Hey you," she said softly.

He looked up at her blearily. She could see he hadn't been sleeping well, the dark circles and bags under his eyes attested to such. He honestly looked like he had been on a week long bender. His hair wasn't in it's usual purposely messy waves, it looked greasy and unwashed, barely even curling. His skin looked sallow and pale and he looked sick. His eyes didn't even gleam, they looked more like dark, empty pits of sorrow and self pity.

"Hey," he responded quietly.  
"Are you okay?" she asked him.  
He blinked slowly and nodded mutely. She didn't believe him for a second. She stepped in closer and made to brush some hair out of his face but he flinched away and she immediately pulled back, reminding herself not to take it to heart.  
"Where have you been?" she asked him.  
"Out. Down town, fuck, I don't know," he muttered.

Her heart went out to him. She knew what it was like to simply disappear and then wake up and not know what happened.  
She offered a reassuring smile.  
"Well, I'm glad you're back," she told him, honestly.  
His eyes flicked to hers briefly before turning away and mumbling something. Clary didn't know what to do and for the first time in awhile she felt unwelcome by him.  
"So… I guess, I'll be going… I'm headed to the cafeteria, if you want to join us for lunch?" she offered.  
"No thanks," he muttered.  
She already knew that would be his answer but nodded with a forced smile anyway.  
"Okay, well, I'll see you in class."

"Did you really take three guys at once?"

Clary froze and turned to him. She felt like she had been slapped in the face.  
"What?"  
Jace studied her for a second and then turned away.  
"Nothing."  
"No, obviously it was important. _What did you just ask me?_ " Clary enunciated slowly, praying she had heard wrong.  
His eyes looked up at hers, the usual vibrant gold replaced by a dull bronze.  
"Did you take three guys at once?"  
Clary's face went white.  
"Where the hell did you hear that?"  
"Does it matter?"  
"It matters to me, Jace!"  
"Fine, Seelie told me Kaelie saw it. Lots of times."

Clary felt hurt bloom hard in her chest and she knew he could see it in her face.  
 _Good,_ she thought.  
She finally locked it away when she saw enough guilt rise in his. She swallowed hard and lifted her chin up, trying to express some form of confidence.  
"Yes, I did."  
Jace's face turned a slight tinge of green.  
"Did Seelie or Kaelie happen to mention why?" Clary spat bitterly at him.  
A confused look flickered across his face for half a second. She couldn't believe that after everything she had told him, he was judging her. She felt the tears build up and she let them fall, she wanted Jace to see them. She saw him look down in shame, his shoulders slouched slightly.  
"No," he whispered.

"I screwed three guys at once because Raphael owed them some money and they said, 'If you give us the girl, your debt will be clear'. He initially refused, not wanting to give me away and negotiated it down to seventy-two hours," Clary forced out.  
The memories threatened to surface and she found it a lot more difficult to keep her composure. Jace looked like he was going to throw up at any moment and she kept going, spilling some of her darkest memories.  
"They screwed me, they beat me, and did completely twisted things just to see me scream. They are how I got this scar," Clary continued, and lifted her shirt slightly and pushed the waistband of her shorts down to reveal a nasty looking scar in the shape of a crescent moon with a ring looped on the bottom half of the moon on the front of her pelvis.  
"They held me down and _cut_ this damn sign into me. Do you know what it means, Jace?"  
He shook his head mutely, not sure he wanted to know.  
"It's a gang sign. For the Lycans. They're a rival gang and the people Raphael owed money to. The crescent is their sign, the ring means I am theirs and I have been taken by one of their own."  
Jace felt like the biggest asshole in the world. Worse than his father.

"I—"  
"Shut the hell up, Jace!" Clary finally snapped, her self control breaking.  
She could feel her face crumpling and could see the pain in Jace's eyes but she didn't care. She felt betrayed, she felt played like a fool.  
"Do you want to know how it feels to have something _carved_ into your skin? It feels like _fire_. It is literally torture and even worse, you can hear them laughing as three grown gang members hold down a fifteen year old girl. The knife feels worse than a thousand needles and you are in the most dirty unsanitary conditions possible. The bed has lice and you can see bloodstains that aren't yours. Even worse… there are _other_ stains. Every time you cry out one of them laughs and pokes it. They didn't care at all. It was all about sending a message to Raphael. And do you know what I received after those seventy-two hours? A hug? No. He inspected every inch of me, and then struck me for being so complacent and for letting them mark me."

Clary's tears were free falling now and she could feel herself slipping back into a dark place, however she thought of Isabelle, Simon, Magnus, Alec and her brother and slowly their faces helped her from the sludge.  
Jace looked like a kicked puppy and Clary didn't care. If he was going to believe and avoid her because of what Seelie and Kaelie said then she wanted nothing to do with him.

"You said I was beautiful and that I was the most incredible person you had met. I guess that was just a farce. Take pity on the poor little drugged up, alcoholic whore. You said you would hurt me and guess what? You were right. You did. So now I'll give you what you really want. I'll leave you the hell alone. Good bye, Jace."

She turned away from him, wiping her tears away. There was no way she could continue school like this, so she turned back out to the carpark but a burning hand on her elbow stopped her.

"Clare—"  
She flinched away from his touch and gave him a look so venomous that he shrank under the fury of her gaze.  
"Don't touch me. _Ever_. Again."  
"But—"  
"Haven't you done e-enough?!" she shouted, her composure breaking.  
She could barely contain her sobs and Jace felt like he wanted to die.  
"I thought you were different. I thought I could trust you, you don't have to go pouring salt into the fucking wound!" she cried.

He didn't know what to say, he wanted to tell her he didn't think less of her and never had, but his insecurities had been plaguing him all week and it was the anniversary of the day his mother died so he was all over the place. He hardly even knew what day it was and all he could think about was how he simply wasn't good enough. That he wouldn't be enough for her and that he needed someone. He needed a guiding voice because he couldn't think what was right and what was wrong. He simply went with what, in hind sight, was the worst possible move he could make.

He kissed her; and for one second it was amazing. It was like fire and ice and it sent him on a euphoric high. She tasted better than last time, a strawberries and mint and her touch was the very thing he was craving. A sudden sharp stinging on his cheek snapped him back and he reeled back from what he knew to be a slap. She was looking at him disgusted as she frantically wiped her mouth on the back of her hands.

"If you _ever_ assault me like that again, I will tell Jon. And I promise that won't be pretty."


	26. Chapter 26

**Well... I have to say, those were some passionate reviews, and I'll be honest, I loved them! In any case, this is only a very small chapter but next chapter is going to be a good one! I promise!**

 **Shoutouts to all my wonderful, passionate reviewers! catastrophicmind, Angeliel, reppinda5o3, TisITisITheSaltiestFry, reemarie36, ReadingManiac, xTheMorningStarx, marmaids, maayan21051, LOVERGIRL and our Guest(I absolutely loved your review!).**

 **P.S. I absolutely _love_ Alec x**

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Jace walked into the school the next day feeling weary and tired. He was still trying to recover from his previous week. It was just a blur of alcohol to be honest. It happened each time his mother's anniversary came around and each year he told himself that he would do better next time and it never happened. Now he had managed to go on a bender and screw things up with the girl he had caught feelings for and he felt worse than he ever had. It simply reassured his father's mantra.

 _To love is to destroy._

He felt destroyed. He felt exhausted and just done with it all. He just wanted to lie the day away in bed with a bottle of scotch next to him.  
His gut twisted as he saw Clary at her locker next to his. He almost considered walking back out but sighed. His inheritance depended on him completing and graduating and he had just taken a week off.

He reached his locker and looked over at the girl next to him. She was silent and resolute. She didn't glance his way and his throat constricted as the smell of her shampoo wafted over.  
"Clary… I'm—"  
She slammed her locker shut and walked past him, not even bothering to look at him. He had never felt more invisible in his life.  
"—sorry..."  
Well, if that's how she wanted to play it, he would beat her at her own game.

Clary and Jace walked and interacted around each other but not with. They skirted around each other like they had the plague. Clary was feeling more and more guilty by the day while Jace was feeling more and more indifferent by the day. He vaguely realised it wasn't that he was changing, he somewhat _had_ changed thanks to Clary but now was simply reverting to how he was before he met Clary.

Finally one day after English Alec had had enough. He had been watching the pair for days. When her head was down Jace would look up and if she started to move he would immediately look away and Clary would look at him with a kind of confusion and longing. They didn't speak. Clary much less than usual and Jace not at all. Alec had just begun to see the start of Jace opening up to them and now thanks to whatever happened between them he had closed up again.

He grabbed Clary and dragged her away ignoring her protests and giving Magnus a reassuring look.  
"What the hell is going on between you two?" Alec demanded quietly.  
Clary gave him an innocent look.  
"With who?" she asked, avoiding the question.  
Alec just stared impassively down at her, letting his face do all the talking for him.  
Clary sighed.  
"I kinda blew up at him the other day. But! He had been gone for a week and the first thing he said was about a part of my past that he'd heard about from someone else!" she tried to defend herself.

Alec raised his eyebrow at her. He knew that she had had a problem with drinking before, that much was obvious. Everyone knew Clary had been a party girl and then she just simply wasn't but he figured it was something deeper to warrant such a dramatic change. Now she was telling him that she'd blown up at the new kid because he was asking about a rumour?

"So he heard a rumour and instead of believing it straight up he asked you if it was true or not?" Alec asked coolly.  
He was by no means mad at Clary, he would always be on her side—she was like his little sister, but some times he needed to be her voice of reason.  
Clary stared up at him her mouth opening and closing like a fish.  
"No! It… it was true! And he was judging me! After everything I told him, I could see in his eyes he was judging me!" Clary argued.

Alec didn't believe that for a second. He didn't know Jace but he had never seen him give a condescending look at anyone. He never sneered at anyone, he helped people when they had books knocked out of their hands and he had never looked at Clary any different—except maybe with some more interest.

"That's bullcrap, Clary," he told her bluntly.  
She looked up at him in an accusing way.  
"Clary, that boy has never looked at you with anything other than affection. Whether he knows it or not, he's head over heels for you. You could cartwheel in wearing a trash bag and a cardboard box head accessory and he would look at you the same. Now, answer me this, how many times have you judged him? When he first went off Kaelie, when he decided not to sit with us at lunch… you have constantly judged him and now you ask him not to do the same. That is called being a hypocrite and I know you, Clary. That's not who you are, at least not intentionally," Alec added, so he didn't sound so harsh.

Clary was staring at him wide eyed.

"And besides, if he was judging, who cares? This is your opportunity to show him different. To prove the rumour wrong."  
"It just hurts… he believed it already, and it became such a big thing and it's something I always wanted to keep hidden," she whispered.  
"Stop being a princess, Clary. He's hurting too. Just look at him, any idiot with an eyeball can see he's not okay," Alec told her firmly.  
She looked up at him completely crestfallen.  
"Alec… I think, I've already done the damage," she finally croaked, her shoulders slumping.  
Alec chuckled lightly and swung his arm around her shoulders.  
"If there is anyone in the world that can get through to him, it's you. You are the most persistent and annoying redhead the world has ever been gifted," Alec teased her lightly.  
She smiled up at him and gave him a big hug.  
"Thanks Alec. For everything," she murmured.  
He smiled and hugged her back. He didn't feel the need to use more words than were necessary, she knew he was always there for her.

That afternoon Clary was waiting nervously by Jace's locker. She had thought over all day about Alec's words and she was going to try to bridge the gap that had now opened between her and Jace. Her heart was fluttering in her chest and she could feel a jitteriness in her body. She wondered what he would say and how she should even begin to talk to him.

Speak of the devil, Jace rounded the corner and Clary's nerves wound themselves tighter. He didn't even look at her as he wrestled his locker open. Clary felt a small, sinking pit in the bottom of her stomach but threw her apprehension away.

"Hey, Jace," she started timidly.  
He didn't respond. She hesitated but reasoned that she deserved that.  
"I, um. I had a talk with Alec and I… I kinda..." Clary could hardly even get her words out, she was stuttering and stumbling over them so much.  
She blushed a dark, violent red, and looked at her feet.  
"I just… he said, and I—"  
Clary was cut off by Jace absolutely _slamming_ his locker shut and turning and leaving her there. She felt stung and hurt, he had never flat out ignored her before. Now she had in inkling of how he had felt and her heart sank.  
"What have I done?" she whispered.


	27. Chapter 27

**Enjoy, hopefully this chapter makes up for the last one.**

 **Shoutouts! feysandcats, MaddieL16, Angeliel, reppinda5o3, marmaids, reemarie36, Herondale-potter-jackson and LOVERGIRL! You are amazing!**

* * *

Jace woke up the next morning with no idea what was waiting for him at school. He showered, pulled on his clothes. Plain jeans with a white t-shirt and a leather jacket. He grabbed his motorcycle helmet, keys and bag and left.  
He thought back to yesterday as he zipped through the traffic, about to how he had turned his back on Clary after she was trying to talk to him. He felt slightly guilty but another part of him, his pride, felt a bit better that she now knew how it felt to be treated like she was invisible. He decided that today he would speak to Clary, at least hear her out and also apologise.

He pulled into the car park, and locked his bike before pulling off his helmet. He grabbed his bag and swung it over his back starting to make his way in before stopping. Nausea hit him like a punch in the gut and he dropped his helmet and bag. His throat closed up and his chest tightened as he looked at the school building.  
A massive banner was swaying in the wind. Printed on it was a newspaper article. 'CELINE HERONDALE SHOT TO DEATH BY SON', followed by a picture of his mother, her eyes staring straight at him, accusing him.

He could hear the gasps of horrified students and people were staring, whispering and pointing at him. He could feel a panic attack building in his throat and he abruptly turned. There was no way he could stay there. All he could hear was his name. It was in the wind and it twisting and curled around him like a tornado, closing in on him. He fumbled with his keys on the bike and after a moment it roared to life and he was off like a shot, trying to escape his personal hell.

Clary drove into school, feeling optimistic about her situation with Jace. She figured now, they were somewhat even in ignoring each other so it was going to make it easier to talk to him now. She parked her car and grabbed her bag. She stepped out, locked her car and walked into the school, her head down.

She only managed to make it a little way towards the entrance before she tripped over something. She frowned as she saw the offending object. Jace's… bag? And helmet? She picked them up baffled as to why they were lying in the middle of the yard. She looked back in the car park looking for his messy mop of golden hair. She couldn't see it so she looked over the oval. That's when she saw the banner. There was a picture of a beautiful woman smiling kindly. She had the same kind of nose and hair as Jace, Clary mused and then she read the headline, gasping.

Clary immediately turned back and ran to her car, she unlocked it and threw all the stuff in the back before reversing out and speeding out. She knew that Jace would need someone, and she wanted to help. She didn't think she just went with her gut. She sped through the streets as fast as she could, trying to remember the way to his place.

She finally found the right building and pulled into his guest parking spot and grabbed his helmet and bag, leaving hers behind. She made her way upstairs and through the lobby, smiling politely at the people she passed. Within seconds she was standing in front of Jace's door. She could hear crashing and cursing come from within and she steeled herself for what she was about to encounter.

She knocked on the door and seconds later the door shook and Clary saw little shards of glass slide out from underneath the door.  
" _Go away!"_ he roared through the door.  
Clary just knocked patiently again. She could hear him cursing and cussing before he flung the door open, his face painted in aggression and distress. His face morphed into one of shock upon seeing her standing before him.  
"You left your stuff behind," she said quietly.  
He looked like crap. Distress was evident in his face, and she could see where he had been crying and she just wanted to hold him and make it go away.  
"Thanks, now please leave," he responded tightly.  
"No."

He glared at her and snatched his stuff back before attempting to shut the door in her face. Clary quickly slipped in the door crack though so he had to hold the door for her unless he wanted to slam it on her foot.  
"Get. Out," he growled at her.  
Clary glared at him.  
"No, you need someone," she told him.  
"And I suppose you think it's _you_ I need," he snarled harshly at her.  
"I'm the only one here aren't I?"  
He felt stung by that comment and scowled at her.  
"Stay the hell out of my way!"

He allowed her to stay in his apartment but he wasn't going to let her get in the way of his destroying things. Every time he thought of calming down he thought of the way everyone had stared at him, whispered and pointed. His biggest shame was printed out for the entire world to read. His private battle was now public. He yelled out and grabbed another empty bottle and threw it, not bothering to shield himself from the shards. Forever now he was going to be known as a murderer by everyone. This would cost him his spot on the football team, his friendships-everything.

Clary hopped up on a bench and surveyed the damage. The couch they had played Truth or Dare on had been flipped and broken the coffee table, the dining table and chairs were thrown haphazardly around the room. Multiple dints now lined the walls. She cringed as she heard another crash and saw the Jace had thrown another empty bottle at his wall which had another sizeable dint in it.

"Jace..." Clary said softly.  
Her heart was going out to this boy who was clearly in so much pain.  
Jace felt his gut twist at her soft voice and he glared at her. She had been ignoring him all week and now she wants to talk?  
"Shut up, Clary! Please… just stop..." he begged her, his voice cracking slightly.

He couldn't think when she was around. He couldn't think now, because all he could see was his mother dying in front of him. He could feel his hands tremble and shake and he clenched them in his hair, using the pain to bring him back.  
"Please, just go away. I don't want to hurt you again," he whispered to her.  
"You won't," she said to him.  
"You don't know that, I don't know that. Just go, please! Just _go away!_ " he was nearly in a hysteria.  
"Jace… Jace, breathe!"  
He couldn't. He saw his mother dying in front of him and Clary next to her.

 _Clary was choking and suffocating as she coughed up blood and looking at him accusingly.  
_ ' _How could you do this?! You shot me! You killed me!' She was collapsing on the ground next to his mother and he had the smoking gun in his hands. He dropped it and it clattered to the ground.  
_ ' _No!' he cried and dropped next to her, trying to put pressure on the wound.  
_ _A pair of small hands ripped him away and he turned to see his littlest cousin, Cecily. She was staring at him sadly in a white dress.  
_ ' _You destroy everyone you touch. You are the reason we are all dead.'  
_ _She then collapsed in front of him and he caught her.  
_ ' _Cecily...' he moaned.  
_ _He felt soft hands tilt his head up and his eyes widened to see Annalise, his first best friend.  
_ ' _We were best friends…Why didn't you protect me?'  
_ " _Anna...'  
_ _But she dropped too, too many bruises marring her skin._

He felt hands grab him and one pull his head down to look straight into the same emerald eyes that were just haunting him.  
"Jace breathe. What can you see?"  
"Your eyes," he blurted out.  
He saw a fondness within them and they crinkled at the edges slightly, he knew she was smiling.  
"What else?"  
"Your hair. As red as a Texas skyline at sundown."  
"And?"  
"Your freckles, soft like chocolate dusting powder."  
He could feel his breath coming a little bit easier and his panic easing slightly.  
"And?"  
"Your skin as pale and soft as an English rose."  
"And?"  
"Your lips, the colour of a fresh made strawberry smoothie."

"What can you touch?"  
Jace looked at her confused, the panic level rose back up and he couldn't breathe again. He was coughing, choking and spluttering for air but she was right there with him.  
"Hey, hey, breathe, Jace, _breathe._ In… out… in… out..."  
He couldn't though, he was starting to feel dizzy and off balance. He felt her hands wrap around him and drag him down to a chair. He could see slight black speckles in his vision but then Clary was back.  
"Jace, talk to me. What can you touch?" she asked him firmly.

His shaking hand touched the chair and he felt the smooth timber, it was cool and solid beneath him.  
"T-The ch-ch-chair," he stuttered out.  
"Anything else?"  
The fabric of his clothes shifted on his skin and he became very aware of it.  
"My clothes?"  
"Is that all?"  
He looked up at her and reached out, placing his hand gently on her cheek.  
"You. I feel you."  
He could see and feel the blush rise on her cheeks and he marvelled at the steady pink that spread through her cheeks. The proof that she was alive eased his worries a little and helped him breathe a little easier.  
"Anything else?"  
He ran his fingers through a lock of her hair, enjoying the smooth silkiness of it. The way it gleamed and shone with life.  
"Your hair, smooth and soft like silk ribbons."

"What can you hear Jace?"  
That was a no brainer.  
"You, your voice. Always."  
"Anything else?"  
He paused and really began to listen out. He could hear his heart racing in his ears but it was still too fast, it was alarming.  
"Jace, what can you hear?"  
Her voice drew him back before he descended back down the rabbit hole.  
"My heart beat."  
"Anything else?"  
He paused and realised he could faintly hear music from the floor below him.  
"Music?"

"Can you smell anything?"  
"You. You smell of autumn when the leaves start to fall and the crisp air stars coming down. It mixes with your shampoo which smells of berries. It's my favourite."  
He hadn't meant to divulge that little tidbit, it just slipped out.  
"Only that?"  
He could also smell the alcohol from the shattered bottles around him.  
"Bourbon, whiskey, scotch."

"Can you taste anything?"  
He ran his tongue around the inside of his mouth.  
"Mint, from my toothpaste."  
"Are you feeling any better?"

He blinked at Clary who was kneeling in front of him, her eyes concerned and hopeful. He could feel his heart thumping evenly in his chest and the tremors in his hands were gone. His breath came easy and now he just felt exhausted.  
"Yes," he whispered softly.  
Clary let out a big sigh of relief. Jace felt better but he still needed something, he needed comfort, reassurance. He needed her. He needed to feel her in his arms, to know for sure she was okay.  
"Please, can I touch you?" he asked, his voice wavering a little.

Clary nodded slowly and Jace leaned forwards and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms tightly around her nestling his head in the crook between her neck and her shoulder. She rested her head on his, and started gently, slowly, running her fingers through his hair. He breathed a sigh of contentment and let his eyes flutter closed.  
He drew in her calmness, her solidarity and let it recharge him. Her peace made him feel better and he held her tighter. He didn't know how he could have ignored her. Everything about her was just… perfect. She understood him and let him. She didn't interfere until he was ready and he just—he didn't feel the same without her.

To love was to destroy but this… it didn't hurt. He supposed it was because this wasn't love but then what else could it be? Need? Maybe he just needed her? He knew that he did.

"I need you, Clary," he told her quietly.  
He felt her body tense and he wondered if he said the wrong thing. He looked up at her in fear. What if she ignored him again? He didn't want to be invisible to her; he could be invisible to every one else… but just not her. His hands involuntarily tightened on her as he felt her shuffle.  
"Please don't go," he pleaded.  
"Jace, I'm not going, but… I don't, I can't…"  
Jace's face crumpled slightly and he forced himself to let go.  
"Okay," he whispered.  
"Jace, please understand. I don't do… _that_ with people any more. I can't—not after..." she trailed off.  
Jace frowned in confusion, what was she talking about? Did Sebastian and Kaelie mess with her enough that she didn't care any more? But would she be here if she didn't care?  
"I don't understand? Do you care for me?" he asked her.  
A flicker of anger rose in her eyes.  
"Yes, I do care for you. But that does _not_ mean I'm going to have sex with you."  
Jace was completely floored, when had sex come into it? He mentally rewound the past couple of minutes and could have nearly slapped himself.  
"No, Clary, I don't mean it that way. I don't need you like _that,_ I need _you._ Just you. In my life, I need you to be there. I don't want you to go," he tried to explain.  
Her eyes softened as she realised what he meant and she gently took his face in her hands.  
"I'm not going anywhere, I promise."  
Jace's face relaxed and he crushed her to him.  
"Thank you."

They stayed like that, wrapped in each other until Jace's back began to hurt.  
"Clary, can we go to my bedroom. I don't want funny business, I promise," Jace asked her quietly.  
"Of course, I trust you," she whispered.  
He nodded and she started to move off him but he halted that by sliding one arm under her knees and the other firmly around her back and lifting her as he stood.  
She squealed lightly and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder.  
"I can walk," she told him lightly.  
"I know," he answered.  
She just smiled and said no more.

He carried her up to his bed and collapsed onto it with her. His bed reached new levels of comfort and she snuggled deeper into it.  
"Your bed is really comfy," she told him.  
He lay next to her and gave her a small smile. She smiled big back at him and he was amazed at just how beautiful she was. The crisp white of his bed sheets really brought out her colour, her hair haloed around her head like the Texan sunset and her eyes glittered. The white simply magnified how deep and green they were. Most of all was the kindness that was emanating from her. She would always be the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on but if she had the personality of Seelie or Kaelie he would've never found her attractive.

"I'm sorry about the other day. I completely blew up for no reason. I had a talk with Alec about it and he made me realise I was being a bit over dramatic—well actually, a total cow. It's not something that was easy to talk about, but I shouldn't have thrown it all in your face. You didn't know. That said, I'm glad you asked and got the full story before just… believing it. And I promise, that will never happen again," Clary said to him, her smile fading so he knew she was genuine.  
Jace was thrown for a loop and just shook his head at her.  
"No, you don't have anything at all to apologise for. I pried and I was a dick. And I'm really sorry. I was just like everyone else even though I should have known better. I'm sorry I let them get to me. It will never happen again," he promised her.  
She smiled and shook her head.  
"Jace you have got nothing to apologise for. I just… I don't even know. I just kinda felt like you were judging me and it hurt so I lashed out. I shouldn't have. If I could take it back, I would. A million times over," she tried earnestly.  
He brushed a hair out of her face.  
"It's not your fault. If I hadn't even _listened_ to Seelie we wouldn't even be here," he argued.  
"How about we just agree that we're both sorry, we both acted silly and move on past it?" she offered, not willing to let him think he was completely at fault.  
Jace smiled and nodded, he tentatively reached out and took her hand in his. His smile grew when she gave him a reassuring squeeze.  
"I'd like that."

They lay like that for what felt like eternity. Clary felt like a weight was gone from her chest and she could breathe properly again. Jace's hand was warm and strong in hers and his deep, even breaths reassured her that he was okay. She had been absolutely terrified during his panic attack, he looked like he was seeing ghosts and his eyes were frantic. He looked so scared, and she hadn't been able to reach him for several minutes. When he came back to she could hardly bear to see the vulnerability and pain in his eyes. When she recalled what she had read online somewhere about grounding someone during a panic attack she thought she'd give it a shot. She had no idea he would be so immersed in her. She blushed as she recalled his gentle, kind words. His touch gentle on her cheek and through her hair sent a rush of heat through her veins and her heart into a flutter.

"Jace, where did you go for the week?" she asked him, breaking the silence.  
"I honestly don't know. Seven years ago a week ago I shot my mother and two days after that she died in hospital. Every year since I was fourteen I drank my pain away and ended up somewhere I didn't know. Last year I was on Coney Island. Year before that, the side of the New Jersey Turnpike. This year I ended up in the dockyards. I have no recollection of how I got there," Jace answered honestly, not opening his eyes.  
Clary was shocked, but somewhat understood.  
"I once ended up in Atlantic City. Went on a bender woke up in a casino wearing a burlesque outfit," Clary shared.  
Jace turned to her and cracked an eye at her.  
"Burlesque?" he questioned.  
She shrugged. He gave her a small smirk.  
"Suits you."  
She slapped him on the chest and he just laughed. She rolled her eyes and then rolled over so they were face to face, nose-to-nose.  
Jace's breath hitched slightly at their closeness and looked at her uncertainly.  
"What are we, Jace?"  
"Friends?" he asked, not sure if he was going to like the way this was going to turn out.  
"We're pretty… handsy for friends," Clary commented.  
Jace knew she was right but despite everything, he was still scared. He was terrified that if he said it aloud that the universe would put a hit out on her.  
"There is a very good reason why it's only stayed that way," he whispered, he pleaded with her to understand.  
"Can you tell me?" Clary asked.  
Jace sighed, knowing it was the only way she would understand and drop it.

"When I was eight, I was playing soccer with my seven year old cousin Cecily and Will, she's actually Will's sister. Well, was. I kicked the ball to her and she absolutely booted the ball and it soared over the fence. She had whined that it was too far for her to go and we were picking on her because she was a girl. We still insisted that she go get it, so she gave this big dramatic sigh and then flounced off to go get it."

Clary thought she knew where this was going and her stomach sank. Jace's hand was tightening around hers and his eyes were staring straight up at the white ceiling.

"I heard a screech. Her tiny piercing, scream and a th-thump."  
Clary's eyes filled with tears as she heard Jace's voice crack.  
"We all ran out, I was faster and sh-she was on the road, the ball resting on the other side of the gutter. The car had this dint in it and the woman was crying. I just… I can't… she was so little and it's my fault! All over a stupid ball!"  
Jace was crying now and Clary was too, she could feel his pain, it saturated every word, every heaving breath and every line in his face.  
"Jace..."  
he ignored her soft inflection and just continued with his story.

"They said it was instant so there was no pain but… I can't help but think that if I had gone to get the ball, she would be safe. And I would have looked for cars!"  
"You couldn't have known..."  
"They told us to keep her safe! She was our little Cecily and she's gone! She's not the only casualty associated to me either. Like I said, I shot my own damn mother!"

Jace was sitting up now and Clary joined him. He was cross-legged with his hands in his hair, looking stressed out.  
"Jace, shh. It's okay, you don't have to say anymore," she reassured him.  
His eyes opened to look at her.  
"Yes, I do. It's the only way you will understand," he said quietly.  
Clary opened her mouth but then shut it, deciding what she was going to say wouldn't help.  
Jace took a deep breath, trying to stabilise himself before continuing.

"I was in Dad's study. I wasn't allowed to be there, it was strictly off—limits but, I was ten, I was a big boy," his voice was the epitome of condescension and self loathing. "I sat in his chair and swung around pretending to be Mr. Burns from The Simpsons."

Clary smiled at the thought of ten year old Jace spinning around and cackling.

"I then started rifling through his drawers. Christmas was coming so I wanted to see if he had gotten me any presents yet. I didn't find any, but I did find a hand gun. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I pretended to be a cowboy and I was defeating all the bad guys, but I was careful not to actually have my finger on the trigger—I wasn't completely stupid. But I was hiding behind the desk when my mother opened the door. It scared me so much my finger slipped and I managed to fire off a round. It hit my dad's steel safe and ricocheted. Do you know how hard it is to ricochet? It's _incredibly_ difficult. Yet here, I am, a stupid ten year old who fired a shot, had it ricochet and have it hit my mother. It pierced her lung and managed to get dangerously close to her heart."

Clary didn't know what to say, Jace looked tormented. He was sitting up with his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands. She could hear him sniffle and she wanted to make it go away, she wanted to make all his pain go away—but there was nothing she could do.

"I looked it up when I was older, it was literally something like a one in a million shot..."

Clary just pulled him into her arms. He attempted to smile at her but couldn't so he just kept on with his story.

"My father turned up about a minute later and called 911. Two days later Mom died and my father hated me. After that day he spent as little time with me as possible. It got to the point where I saw him so little, and got so lonely, I begged him for a pet. I wanted a dog, a German Shepherd called Max. I begged my Dad hard enough and eventually I got through to him by saying I would never bother him again. When I was 12 he came home with a falcon. I remember being overjoyed at the thought of a loyal companion. I remember running up to Dad and trying to take the bird from him. The bird bit my hand hard enough to draw blood. He told me that the bird was mine and I had to train him. So I did. I spent hours, days, weeks, months with Nyx, that's what I named him. I still have the scars where he bit me and scratched me. After a year though we were best friends. I could go running and he would soar above me and if I whistled he would come back and land on my shoulder. He would sleep on a perch beside my bed and every day I would come back from school and take him out. I had also taught him to do a few tricks."

Jace's voice was sad and fond both at the same time and Clary traced over the bumps and lines on his fingers, now knowing their story.

"One day Dad came in and asked to see how the falcon and I were getting on. I told him I named him Nyx and then proceeded to show him the tricks as well as how he return with a whistle. He watched silently and then held out his hand. Nyx stepped up onto it and my father gave him a scratch on the neck before breaking his neck."

Clary gasped in horror.  
"He told me that I taught that bird to love me and that everything I love gets destroyed. He told me that for me, to love was to destroy."  
Clary's eyes filled with tears and she pulled his face up so that he was looking directly at her.  
"You don't believe him, do you?"  
She searched his face but she could see through the bleakness and pain that he did. He absolutely did.  
"Jace, no," she whispered.  
He turned away from her.

"My best friend when I was fourteen was killed by her boyfriend. He was older than her and didn't like that she was friends with me and one night they were arguing about it and he shoved her. She tripped, fell, hit her head the wrong way and died. My father left not long after that. He set me up with this place and enough money to get me through until Mom's inheritance comes through at 21. He disowned me and said that if I wanted to keep those I cared for alive then I had to leave them because I was a curse."

Clary couldn't believe words so callous could come out of a father's mouth to his son. Everything that had happened were unfortunate turns of events, accidents. Now he had twisted and warped Jace's mind and thought process enough to believe he was unlovable and that he would destroy everyone he loved.

"Jace..."  
"So do you understand why I can't… why I'm so scared?" he asked her.  
Clary pressed her lips together. If she was him she would probably feel the same way, so yes, she could understand.  
"I understand," she said quietly.  
He breathed deeply and hugged her tightly.  
"But Jace?"  
He looked up at her.  
"Yeah?"

He was not expecting her to press her lips to his. Her lips felt even softer than he remembered and tasted twice as sweet. He threw himself into the kiss and responded in kind. They moved in synchronisation and he pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling his hips. Her hands tangled in his hair, twisting the ends as his stayed on her waist, keeping her pressed to him. It was like the first time all over again, electric, hot, sensational. He was inundated with everything that was her, her smell, her touch, her taste. He was experienced plenty with girls but no one, no one could make him feel the way she did. She was his drug, that was the best way to explain it.

She pulled back from him and he opened his eyes, feeling somewhat hazy now.  
"Why is it so right if we're not supposed to be together?" she asked him.  
Jace didn't have a response.  
"I'm not scared, Jace. I've been to hell and back, the only thing that scares me is never getting the chance to explore this. I trust you, wholly and solely. You make me feel things I've never felt with anyone before. Your touch sends shivers down my spine, your smile makes me feel gooey in the stomach. Your hand in mine makes me feel like I can do anything because I feel like you will have my back… Jace, I... I really like you. More than I've ever liked anyone and I know we can work. Please, at least give this a chance before you write us off..." Clary pleaded.  
He looked so conflicted and Clary wanted to change that. She wanted to convince him to give them a shot.  
"I don't want to lose you," he whispered, his hand coming up to rest on her cheek.  
"You won't. I have been on the brink of death a few times, I know how to fight it off."  
He still looked indecisive.  
"I want to show you how strong you can be when you love and are loved."  
He looked up at her and she could see a faint glimmer of hope.  
"Okay," he whispered and pulled her back down for him to kiss.


	28. Chapter 28

**So, I'll be honest, I have hit a tiny bit of writer's block, I have a few vague ideas of what I want to happen but it's the process to getting there that's stumping me a little bit, haha. Ha. Ha... yeah.**

 **SHAMELESS SELF PLUG: I've started a new TMI story, one that I've been thinking about for a little while, it's rated M, mostly so I have a bit more freedom with language, scenes and stuff without constantly worrying about whether Admins will delete it(I have been through the forums so many times about this story!). In any case, that's there, but don't worry, this is my main project xo**

 **But now, onto shoutouts! Marmaids, reppinda5o3, maayan21051, reemarie36, TisITisITheSaltiestFry, LOVERGIRL, Angeliel, ReadingManiac, Tuffin, cait418448, DarkSunshineKnight and our lovely Guest! You are all the reason this chapter is even here, and why I keep writing.**

 **So, now that's all done with-Enjoy the chapter!**

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Jace could hardly believe what was happening to him. He had told himself at the start of the year that he would just keep his head down and get through it, no attachments, no friends, and a girlfriend definitely wasn't part of it. However, when he looked into Clary's eyes he could feel his whole body swell, he was both proud and humble. Clary was incredible and she had chosen him, for reasons unbeknownst to him. She saw something in him and he wanted to her faith to be for something.

"Hey Jace, what do you want to be?" Clary asked him, her eyes both curious and serious.  
He frowned slightly and shrugged.  
"I don't know, I never really gave it much thought," he answered her honestly.  
He saw a crease form on her forehead.  
"You've never thought about it?"  
"Not really. I'll be honest, when I turn 21 I inherit a lot of money, I've never really had anything to strive for so I always figured I'd live off my inheritance."  
Clary nodded as if she understood, but she didn't. She had no inheritance waiting for her. If she ever wanted to leave she had to become something.

"What do you want to do, Clary?"  
She looked at Jace to his his face open and honest. She bit her lip.  
"I want to be an artist. Have my own gallery, maybe teach kids…" Clary answered, surprising herself with her honesty, normally she didn't tell people what she really wanted to do because they would laugh at her.  
Jace smiled at the little smile on her mouth as she spoke.  
"I think you'll get there. You're the most persistent person I have ever met," he told her.  
She didn't fail to notice the amusement in his voice and she mock glared at him.  
"What are you trying to say?"  
"That _you_ are the only person that has ever returned after being shoved away so many times," Jace told her.  
Clary's eyes softened and saddened.  
"You have had such a lonely life," she murmured.  
Jace just shrugged.  
"It's okay, I've survived," he said dismissively.  
"I promise, you will never be alone again, Jace."  
He smiled at her and she smiled back, she knew he was telling her in his own way that he was grateful.

"So, have you made any revenge plans yet?" Clary asked him.  
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, messing it up.  
"I… Honestly… I don't know… I don't know what I want to do… If I act out revenge, then am I just as bad? Do I become the bad guy everyone now sees?" he asked her.  
Clary huffed.  
"No, you are not a bad guy by any means, and I don't think whoever did this deserves to go scot-free!" Clary responded angrily.  
Jace knew she wasn't mad at him and he just reached over and took her hand in his.  
"It's okay, Clary, let's just not talk about it. We'll deal with it when it comes to it," he soothed her.  
He was upset about everyone now knowing his dirty laundry but he didn't want to ruin this day by talking about it. He just wanted to enjoy the time he had with Clary.  
"Do you know who did it?" Clary asked him.  
He took a deep breath, two names popping into his mind.  
"I think… Verlac and Seelie," he admitted.  
Clary stared at him in surprise.  
"Sebastian? Why would he do this, he's happy now?" she asked him baffled.  
"It's just a couple of things, comments he's made… it's like he's known this whole time and in detention the other day Seelie tried to pick up where Kaelie and I left off and she didn't take my rejection too kindly," Jace said dryly.  
Clary frowned. The pair were friends so it was highly likely Seelie said something to Sebastian.  
"I promise, we'll make them regret it," she told him, the fire burning in her eyes.  
"Clary, honestly. I don't care what anyone thinks of me, so long as you… so long as you believe me," he said to her earnestly.  
He saw her eyes soften and he gave her a sheepish smile.  
"I don't know, you just—I guess I care," he laughed trying to play down his feelings before he scared her away.  
"I care too, Jace."

The next morning Clary skipped into the school. The big banner had been taken down and she felt like she was on a whole new level of happiness. If she had thought she had been on Cloud 9 with Sebastian, then this must be Cloud 20. She smiled even bigger when she saw Jace waiting for her at their lockers.

"Hey," he greeted quietly.  
She gave him a big smile.  
"Hey."  
She gave him a quick once over and noticed he looked stressed. There was a slight tick in his jaw and his eyes looked tight and unhappy.  
"What's up?" she asked, placing her hand on his arm.  
"It's nothing," he muttered.  
She frowned.  
"Obviously it's something," she prodded.  
He sighed and then stared straight into her eyes. Clary felt her stomach flutter as his gold eyes captured hers.  
"Are you sure you want to be associated with me? With a murderer?"  
Clary's eyebrows shot to her hairline. After everything he was still worried…  
"Oh no, Jace, we have made a terrible mistake! How was I so blind! I cannot be with you at all! Woe is me!" Clary declared, her voice deadpan and about as sarcastic as she could make it.  
Jace levelled a glare on her and she gave him a smirk back.  
"Jace, I told you. I don't care," she told him quietly.  
He pressed his lips together firmly and faced back to her locker.

"Are you bothered by the whispering and staring?" she asked him softly.  
"A little," he admitted, unwillingly.  
Clary paused and then an idea sparked in her mind.  
"Well, why don't we really give them something to whisper and stare at?" she asked.  
"What?" he asked, in confusion.  
Clary just smirked.  
"Be ready to catch."

She then attacked his mouth with hers. She pressed herself against him and immediately dove her hands into his hair, pulling on it. He growled into her mouth before hoisting her up and slamming her back into the lockers behind him. She moaned softly at the roughness and bit into his lip.  
At the feel of her teeth digging in and tugging on his lower lip, Jace's senses went wild. He could feel a burning go through his veins and every spot of skin that connected sent surges of electricity through his body. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and pulling him closer, her arms locked around his neck, tugging on his hair and he enjoyed every second of it. One arm was locked underneath her, to keep her upright but the other was sliding up her back slightly, under her shirt. Her skin felt hot against his hand, but soft. He could also feel bumps, which he knew to be scars from her past and he growled into her at the thought of anyone hurting her. He promised himself that she would never get another scar like that. Not while he was still around.  
Clary whimpered as she felt his hand traced the bottom of her spine. His touch sent shivers throughout her whole body and she almost thought her heart was going to burst through her chest. His lips were demanding but soft against hers and she knew she was addicted, she wanted to feel like this every day. Wanted but respected. She drew her head back from his, mostly to regain some breath but that plan went out the window as his mouth began to kiss against her jaw and down her neck. Her breath all but stopped as he pressed his lips to her collarbone. She had no idea her skin could be so sensitive until his lips brushed over her. He made all her little hairs stand on end and she had to bite her lip to stop from making a highly embarrassing noise.

Jace finally pulled himself away from her and looked up at her to see her eyes had darkened to a deep forest green, her skin had flushed a light pink and her lips were swollen from all the attention he had given her. She stared down at him, out of breath and he noticed her cheeks flush a darker shade of red.

"Well, that'll get them talking about something else," she said to him.  
He managed a slightly breathy chuckled and rested his head on her shoulder. She swung her legs down from his waist and he held onto her carefully, not letting go until she was firmly on the ground.  
"Time to face the music right?" Clary asked.  
He chuckled and pressed his lips to the top of her head, she took his hand in hers and walked off to class.

Word about the spread like wildfire and before she knew it Jon was charging up to them and pulling her away forcefully enough to nearly make her fall to he knees. Jace reached out for her but Jon shoved his hands away, hauling her up himself.  
"Just what in the hell are you thinking, Clarissa?!" Jon demanded.  
Clary opened her mouth to protest but Jon was death staring down Jace, paying her no heed.  
"How _dare_ you touch my sister!"  
"Jon!"  
"Shut _up_ , Clary!"

Jon was livid. He had seen the banner yesterday and now this same kid, one that had _murdered_ his own mother, was now all over his sister! Jon was taking no chances, he had almost lost her once, it was _not_ going to happen again.

"Don't you dare come near her ever again! I _will_ end you," he threatened Jace.  
Clary was absolutely furious with her brother, how dare he come in and take over and try to tell her who she could spend time with and who she couldn't.  
"Jon! Don't you dare try to control me!" she shouted at him, trying to wrench her arm out of his grip.  
His blue eyes blazed down at hers and she glared back with as much intensity, as his grip tightened, nearly to the point of pain.  
"It's okay, Clary. I knew it wouldn't work," Jace said quietly.  
"Damn straight it's not going to work! You so much as _breathe_ in her general direction and I will show you the punishment you deserve, _murderer_!"

Clary gasped as Jace went pale. Clary then gave her brother a sharp elbow to his stomach and wrenched herself free.  
"Don't you dare, don't you _dare_ say that again!" she spat.  
"Clare—no, don't," Jace interrupted, trying to settle her.  
He just knew something like this would happen. He knew it wouldn't work. He was stupid for thinking he had escaped life's cross hairs.  
"Shush, Jace. _I_ know your story, no one else here does. You are not that, don't let anyone get to you. Not even my idiot of a brother," she told him fiercely.

Jace was takenaback by the sheer passion and tenacity in her voice, and he knew that he would never want to be on the receiving end of her wrath. However, the last thing he wanted to do was wreck their relationship. He knew that Jon and Clary were close and he didn't want Jon to be even angrier at him for wrecking that.

"Clary, I don't want to cause trouble," he said to her urgently.  
Her eyes softened at him.  
"You are not trouble," she reassured him.  
She could see the distress in his eyes and she wanted to kill her brother for putting it there. She levelled her eyes on Jon and he was glaring straight at Jace.  
"Clarissa, you are not safe with him," he told her in a level, scary calm voice.  
Jace felt a slight twist as he knew Jon's words were right. Flashes of his mother, Cecily, Annalise, Nyx and his father popped up and he shook his head.  
"Clary, you know he's right," Jace whispered lowly.  
Clary whirled around at him, her green eyes flashing.  
"Cut the horse crap, Jace. We went through this already. Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me, there is no place in the world I feel safer than when I am with you!"  
"Stop being an idiot, Clary! He just told you he didn't want you!" Jon snapped.

This time Jace glared at him as Clary faltered slightly.  
"That is not at all what I said, Jon. There is no shadow of a doubt that I very much care for Clary—"  
"Don't you say a _word_ to me, Herondale," Jon growled, threateningly.  
Jace was shocked as was Clary.  
"If you won't come with me now, I'll tell Dad," Jon told her severely.  
Clary smirked, her Dad, being a chief in the Police Department could easily pull Jace's records and view them thus proving Jace's innocence.  
"I'll tell him myself," she shot back, shocking Jon.  
He hadn't expected Clary to turn that back on him.  
"Fine. Tonight," Jon forced out.  
"Easy," Clary snapped.

An awkward silence settled over the trio, until Clary grabbed Jace's hand tightly and pulled him along, not even saying good bye to her brother.  
"Clary, I don't want to come between you two," Jace insisted quietly.  
"You're not, his stubborn pigheadedness is," she grumbled.  
"Clare—"  
" _No_ , Jace. I don't care what anyone says. I know you. I may not know your favourite slice of pizza or your favourite movie, but I know your heart, I know your goodness. You are not any of the things you tell yourself that you are. You are kind and good and someone to aspire to," Clary said to him.  
Jace was surprised and touched.  
"Supreme," he said after a pause.  
She gave him a quizzical look.  
"My favourite pizza," he clarified.  
Clary smiled at him.  
"Cheese," she responded.  
He smiled back at her, just barely feeling like maybe it could work.

Lunch came around slowly for Clary. She had offered for Jace to sit with them again but he denied saying that he thought Jon would have his head but insisted that she spend time with her friends. She had reluctantly agreed and now she was sliding in next to Isabelle.

"Hey guys," she greeted everyone.  
Isabelle and Magnus both looked up at her curiously.  
"Word on the grapevine is that you are dating Jace now?" Magnus asked.  
She smiled and nodded.  
"Grapevine is, for a change, right," she answered, taking a bite out of her apple.  
Isabelle exchanged looks with Simon before giving her a tentative smile.  
"Is he… y'know… safe?" she whispered.  
Clary stopped chewing and studied her friends closely. They all seemed to have the same worried and hesitant look. Apparently they had heard about her blow up with Jon.  
"Yes," she said shortly.\  
"Are you sure? Because I mean, he _is_ kind of weird and he has such a temper," Isabelle continued.  
Clary felt her own temper rising, but forced herself to keep a lid on it, knowing her friends were only concerned for her welfare.  
"I promise he isn't going to stalk me and stab me in my sleep," she said harshly.  
"Shooting seems to be more his style," Magnus quipped.

Clary had enough. She had heard it from Jon and now all her friends were against her.  
"You know what, since you guys are all going to be judgemental and pissy and believe a banner over your best friend, I'm going to go sit with my boyfriend. When you want to find out the truth instead of believing a rumour, you know where to find me," Clary said coldly.  
She stood up and saw the smug smile on Seelie's face and before she could stop herself she was continuing.  
"And when I find out exactly who provided this article and who posted it everywhere, it will _not_ be pretty."  
She enjoyed that faint flicker of worry on Seelie's face and the choking noise Sebastian made. She turned on her heel and made her way over to Jace with her bag of food.

He looked up at Clary slid in next to him.  
"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked her quietly.  
"They're being stupid so I decided to leave them. When they're ready they'll come over," she assured him.  
Jace's face darkened slightly as guilt swelled. Now she was fighting with her friends; he really was making a mess.  
"Clary, you—"  
He was cut off by Alec dropping into the seat in front of him.  
"Hey," he said quietly.  
Clary looked up at him and he smiled and nodded at her. Jace saw her smile broaden and it made him feel a little bit better.  
"I don't care about whatever's happened, so long as nothing happens to Clary," Alec told him quietly.  
Jace felt a tidal wave of relief and gratitude for the tall, dark haired boy in front of him.  
"I promise," he told him seriously.  
Alec's blue eyes bored into him for a moment before nodding and turning back to his sandwich.


	29. Chapter 29

**Only a small chapter but it's something, at least!**

 **Shoutouts go out to reppinda5o3, Angeliel, maayan21051, LOVERGIRL, catastrophicmind, cait418448, marmaids, xTheMorningStarx, ReadingManiac, reemarie36 and JaceyXgirl! I have said this before but you honestly are the lifeblood of this story, you keep it going xo**

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Clary sang under her breath along to the music flowing in her ears as she danced into school. She knew people were staring—but she didn't care. She was happy and wanted everyone to know. She stopped when she reached her locker and unlocked it to see a pink rose. She looked around to see if she could find anyone watching her but couldn't see anyone. She picked it up with a smile and then noticed a little card attached to the stem.

 _Go to the place where we became Smooth Criminals together._

Clary smiled and a pink tinge grew over her face. She didn't know what Jace was playing at but she liked it. She went to the back entrance of the school and looked around for any sign of her golden haired boyfriend. She felt disappointed when she couldn't see him but she did see a flower tied to the fence. She carefully pulled at the bow on the orchid and read the card attached.

 _I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey…_

She smiled and whirled around, running back through the school to the courtyard where she and Jace had danced and kissed to Seal's song. She smiled as she saw Jace waiting for her, with a flower in his hand. He looked casually good. A nice pair of jeans paired with a white tee and a black leather jacket. It was so effortless and so Jace and he could pull it off like an Abercrombie model. Jace smiled somewhat nervously as he saw Clary come running through the doors. Her eyes caught his and he saw her holding onto his other two flowers he had left for her which made him smile a bit more confidently. He watched her hair bounce as she trotted down the stairs and made her way over.

"Hey," she breathed softly, looking up at him.  
"Hey," he responded in kind.  
He held out the last flower out for her, a lilac and she was smiling so big it looked like her face was going to crack in half. She took it from him and held the three flowers together.  
"I'm sorry if it seems small or stupid I just, I wanted you to know—I care for you and I very, very much appreciate you," he told her.  
Clary threw her arms around him, being careful not the break the stems of the flowers and planted a kiss on his lips.  
"It's perfect, thank you," she murmured against him.  
He felt a weight lift from his shoulders and he held her tighter.  
"Anything for you, Clary. Always," he mumbled.  
He pulled back and looked down at her, nervousness flickering through him again.  
"I just wanted to know… would you like to go on a date with me?" he asked her.  
Just when she thought she couldn't smile bigger, all of a sudden there was more.  
"I would love to."

Isabelle looked over at Clary at lunch and chewed on her lip anxiously. She could see Alec sitting with Clary and Jace and the three of them were all smiling and laughing. Jace had his arm resting behind Clary's back as he leaned back and she watched Clary turn to him and poke him on the nose, making him stick his tongue out at her and she saw Alec throw his head back in one of his characteristic big laughs.  
Izzy had never felt more conflicted in her life; she wanted to be happy for her friend, but she was also scared of her getting hurt by Jace. The very idea that he had shot his own mother chilled her to the bone. She and her mother had never seen eye to eye however she would never even _dream_ of pulling a gun on her. She did trust Clary to make good decisions, and especially her ultra-level headed brother but, what if they were being drawn in by some serial killer charm or something?  
"Iz, you haven't said anything for nearly ten minutes, I'm getting worried," Simon said to her.  
She turned to the boy next to her and sighed.  
"I'm just scared for Clary, and Alec, what if… what if he's lining them up next?" Isabelle voiced, her fear betraying her.  
"I know, I worry the same thing… But you have to admit, Clary's very taken with him and Alec has got almost a sixth sense with people, and he would _never_ let Clary be in any danger. To be honest, I'm kind of wondering if we were too snappy in our judgement. I mean, we barely even know the guy..." Simon answered.  
Isabelle thought it over and then looked to Magnus. He had been stubbornly mute on the subject since his boyfriend had left him to join Clary and Jace.  
"What do you think?" she prodded.  
Magnus glared up at her.  
"Alec is a big kid now and he can do what he wants as can Clary," was all he offered.  
Isabelle sighed and then made a snap decision. She stood up and grabbed her tray and carefully _click, click, click_ ed across the cafeteria before standing awkwardly in front of Clary, Jace and Alec.

"Hi," she said softly, avoiding Clary's eye.  
"Hey, Iz, what's up?" Clary asked cheerfully.  
Isabelle carefully studied her face to see nothing but happiness and her eyes averted to Jace's who was remaining quiet and somewhat reserved.  
"Nothing I just… I don't want to let a guy come between us so, here I am. Deal with it," Izzy said confidently, even though she felt anything but.  
Clary laughed as Jace cracked a smile.  
"I get the feeling she'll be tough to get rid of," Jace said quietly to Clary.  
"Oh, you have no idea, I've been trying for years—even when I wear terrible clothes she still hangs around," Clary said teasingly.  
"Well, someone has to show you high fashion, and I'm just the poor sucker who drew the shortest straw," Isabelle told them as she sat down next to her brother.  
"Yeah, because I really twist your arm," Clary responded sarcastically.  
Alec snorted and Isabelle raised one manicured brow at him.  
"I've never heard you complaining when I give you fashion advice," Isabelle told them proudly.  
Clary shrugged in assent.  
"Speaking of, you wanna play dress up on Friday? Friday or Saturday Jace?" Clary asked, turning to him.  
Jace thought for a moment.  
"Saturday, definitely Saturday, casual," he told her.  
Clary turned back to Izzy.  
"We're going on a date on Saturday, casual, I figured you would be horrified if I had to choose what to wear," Clary laughed lightly.  
Isabelle's eyes gleamed in happiness.  
"Oh Clary, I already have the perfect outfit in mind!" she squealed.  
She began to list off clothes, shoes accessories and ramble on about hair and make up and Jace turned to his girlfriend.

"Will you even survive the prep for the date?"  
Clary turned to him and gave him a very serious look.  
"I don't know."  
"I'll hold a funeral for you," Jace promised.  
"Make sure there's lots of colours and singing and dancing. And burlesque dancers," Clary added.  
Jace tilted his head slightly and smiled at her.  
"You are so weird," he commented fondly.  
"Normal is boring," she responded.  
"I wouldn't change you for anything."  
He kissed the top of her head and leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head. Clary's eyes followed the tight curve of his abs that were just showing through his shirt before they wandered up to his developed chest and his strong arms. She saw them flex slightly and she had to fight the urge to make an embarrassing noise. She knew exactly how strong those arms were and it made her face heat up as her mind drifted to other ways she could test him. Her eyes travelled to his face where a smirk was rested. He had been watching her.  
"Shut up," she muttered, embarrassed.  
He just grinned in response.

That night Clary practically ran into the house and her mother chuckled at her daughter.  
"Good afternoon, how was school?" Jocelyn asked.  
Clary dropped her bag by the stairs, ready to take it up when she went up. She walked over to the kitchen counter and flopped into one of the stools.  
"School is great, Mom! Honestly, best thing ever," she said happily.  
Jocelyn gave her daughter a strange look.  
"Are you ill because you don't sound like my daughter," Jocelyn teased.  
Clary just poked her tongue out.

"So, who's the boy then?" Jocelyn asked.  
Clary blushed.  
"Jace," she answered.  
"He must be pretty special to make you blush like that," she observed.  
Clary blushed redder.  
"He is, he's completely one of a kind, he is so kind to me and protective and he just, he really cares. And I told him all about my… problems and he just, didn't care. Didn't judge me, didn't treat me any different… He just… I dunno, it sounds silly but it's almost like we were made for each other," Clary finished shyly.  
Jocelyn smiled at her obviously smitten daughter. It reminded her of when she first met Valentine.

"You forgot to mention he's a murderer," Jon muttered darkly as he walked in.  
Clary glared at him as her mother gave her a confused look.  
"What?" she asked.  
"Oh yeah, why don't you tell her, Clary?" Jon said cheerfully.  
"Tell me what?" Jocelyn demanded.  
"Oh yeah, our lovely little Jacie-poo, he's a cold hearted murderer who shot his mother!" Jon declared.  
" _What?"_ Jocelyn asked in horror, turning to Clary.  
"That is not how it happened, Jonathan! I am sick to death of you shoving yourself in where you are not wanted! I _said_ I would tell Dad and I will and he will _prove_ Jace's innocence!" Clary shouted, slamming her hands down on the counter top.

"I'm proving who's innocence now?"  
Clary turned and saw her father and gave a big breath of relief. She ran up and gave him a hug. He chuckled and gave her a hug in return.  
"It's nice to see you too, Clary, now mind telling me what's going on?" he asked her.  
"Okay, so, I thought since you're a chief you could look into something for Jon's piece of mind. I started dating someone this week, a guy called Jonathan Herondale and he accidentally killed his Mom when he was a kid. Jon thinks he did it on purpose, but I _know_ it was an accident, so I was kind of hoping you could maybe pull the file and check it so Jon doesn't keep calling him a murderer every time he sees him?" Clary rushed out.  
Their father stayed silent for what felt like eternity.  
"Herondale… little boy, blonde? Celine Herondale the mother?" he asked Clary.  
She nodded.  
"Accident. I remember that case. His father was tried for a form of child neglect because he never should have had a gun loaded in such an easily accessible spot. 'Course he had enough money to buy everyone off so it didn't stick but he was never particularly pleasant after that," Valentine informed them.  
"Are you sure it was an accident?" Jon demanded.  
Valentine looked at his son and sighed, he understood where his anger and frustration and protectiveness was coming from but he also knew that he needed to learn when to let things go.  
"Yes. We had a number of technicians try to replicate the scenario, and not one person managed to get the same result. We pulled in an ex-Navy SEAL and even he took some practise. Basically, there is no way a 10 year old could have purposely done such a shot," Valentine assured him.  
"But—"  
"Jon. We love how protective you are, we always know Clary is safe and I know Clary herself appreciates it, but remember, not everyone in the world is out to get you. We can't live our lives in fear," their father said firmly but kindly.  
Jon nodded and walked upstairs, looking chastised and sullen.  
"So, do we get to meet this, Jace?" Valentine asked his daughter.  
She smiled and blushed.  
"Maybe."


	30. Chapter 30

**Okay guys... I know I disappeared again and you have no idea how sorry I am. I have actually been plagued by guilt over not posting, but I've just been so busy. First, uni started kicking my butt with assignments and test, then work started kicking my butt, wedding planning started kicking up a notch, then my partner lost his job so I had to try and find another job and on top of that I got really, really sick so _that_ kicked my butt and ugh. It's just been a stressful af couple of months, but now, hopefully, all is well!**

 **Now, this is the FIRST PART of their date! There is still more to come!  
**

 **As always, I have to pay my respects to my amazing reviewers, without whom this story would not be here! So give it up for: reppinda5o3, catastrophicmind, ReadingManiac, JaceyXgirl, glitterangel1, reemarie36, feysandcats, Angeliel, xTheMorningStarx, LOVERGIRL, Booknh, DarkSunshineKnight, TisITisITheSaltiestFry!**

 **Just something I want to say quickly, I have had a lot of concern over whether or not this is the end for Clary and Jace and I just want to say... I have so much more planned for these two, hahaha!**

* * *

The week rushed by in a blur for Clary, Magnus and Simon had both pulled the rods out of their backsides and took the time to get to know Jace. Reluctantly both had agreed that they had been wrong and that Jace was cool which made Clary over the moon.

So now she was at Isabelle at 8:30 in the morning, getting the final touches on her hair and make up after getting Isabelle's approval on her outfit. She was wearing a long white singlet tucked into a black suspender skirt that had two black bands around her waist. She also had on a pair of knee high socks and plain black ankle boots. Isabelle thought that she looked super cute which was a compliment considering Clary had picked. Isabelle had straightened her hair and then curled it and twisted it up onto the top of her head, with stray curls hanging out everywhere. As for her make up, Isabelle kept it simple, figuring less would be more. A layer of foundation, slight contour and highlight, a hint of blush with mascara and eye liner paired with a dark ruby lipstick and Isabelle deemed her done! Clary smiled and looked up at her.

"Thanks Izzy… do you think he'll like it?" she asked.  
Isabelle smiled confidently at her.  
"He will absolutely love it, I promise," she reassured her.  
Clary nodded and stood up, giving Isabelle a nervous smile.  
"I'm really nervous, I really like him and I don't want to blow it, what if I do? What if I do something stupid and I scare him off?" Clary gushed out to her friend.  
Isabelle chuckled, and shook her head.  
"Clary, in the short time I've been around you two together, I can firmly assure you he is not running away from you any time soon… He is completely besotted by you. That's _why_ he asked for this date," Isabelle reminded her.  
Clary nodded and turned back to the mirror.  
"You're right. We fought hard enough just to get here. We'll… we'll work—"  
Clary's thought process was cut off by the doorbell ringing.  
She felt an uncontrollable smile grow on her face as her heart went into a flutter and her stomach exploded in butterflies. Clary faced Isabelle whom had a smile to match her own.  
"Go get 'em, tiger," Isabelle laughed.

Clary took one last deep breath and walked out of Isabelle's room trying to display an aura of complete confidence. She walked down the stairs to see Alec and Jace talking by the door. They hadn't noticed her arrive yet so she took the time to admire Jace's innate beauty.

He had decided on wearing a pair of dark, jeans with a nice pale blue button up shirt with his black leather jacket. His golden hair looked messy and unkempt, like he'd just woken up, but his eyes were bright and alert. He had an easy smile on his face and as his eyes flicked over to her she felt her nerves settle. Something about him was just reassuring.  
"Hey… you look absolutely perfect," Jace told her with a smile.  
Clary blushed as she walked over. Jace lifted his arm and she sidled in next to him, his arm lowered around her shoulders and she leaned her head on his shoulders.  
"Only one small adjustment," he told her.  
She looked up at him and his hand came up and pulled the pin holding her hair up so her carefully manicured curls came tumbling down her back.  
"Much better," he told her softly, his eyes glowing softly.

"So, what's the plan, Jace?" Clary asked.  
They were walking out of the Lightwood manor over to where his bike was waiting.  
"Well, first off. Have you had breakfast? Are you hungry? Or can it wait for lunch?" he asked her seriously.  
"Can probably wait for lunch," she told him, shrugging.  
A smile broke out on his face and she thought it was the sweetest thing ever.  
"Okay, excellent. First, put this helmet on," he told her.  
She smiled and eagerly put the helmet on. Jace settled it around her ears and tested it for fit before tightening up her chin strap for her and flipping down her clear visor.  
"Now jump on behind me," he instructed her.  
He jumped on and gave his bike a strong kick, the bike roaring to life instantly. Clary grinned in excitement and at his okay jumped on the back of the bike.  
"Hold tight," he warned her.  
She slid close and let her body mould to his. She slid her arms around his waist and pressed her body to his. She could feel his body warmth radiating from him and she hugged closer.  
"Okay, let's go!"

He revved the bike up hard and they jolted off. He peeled out and Clary squealed and gripped tightly to him. He leaned forwards into the wind as did she. She could feel the wind pulling at her curls and even though she knew her hair would reach new dimensions she couldn't feel anything but happy. She felt free. The wind snatched her breath and her worries.  
Jace could tell she was happy. He could hear her laughing and practically feel the happiness she was emanating. He heard her whoop into the air and her hands left his body. He glanced in the mirrors to check on her and she was leaning back in the seat. Her arms would stretch out every now and then before returning back to his sides. He was glad he had brought the bike.

They pulled into a parking garage shortly after and Jace pulled off his helmet and shook his hair out. Clary followed suit and climbed off the bike, before running her hands through her curls. They were messier and she definitely had more fly aways but thankfully most of her manicured curls held up.  
"So, what's the plan?" she asked, looking up at him.  
He gave her a tentative smile, he could feel his heart rate speeding up in nervousness. His idea of a first date had actually been Will's idea; they were going to pretend to be tourists and go see a bunch of touristy places and take photos. Will had said that she would love it and he was hoping that she would.

"Well, I thought we could go see a bunch of places and pretend to be tourists and take lots of pictures and stuff. If you don't want to, that's okay, we can just go see a movie or something, that's good too," Jace rambled on.  
Clary smiled at his rambling and gave him a hug before kissing his cheek.  
"Sounds great, but I don't have a camera," she told him.  
He smiled, his nerves immediately settling.  
"That's okay," he reassured her, opening a container on his bike, pulling out two cameras on long straps to hang around their necks.  
Clary grinned widely and quickly took the one he offered her. She turned it on and immediately snapped a picture of Jace looking down at his camera. In the darkness of the underground car park the flash auto enabled and he looked up just in time to get blinded.  
"Sorry, I forgot about flash," Clary laughed lightly as Jace rubbed his eyes.  
He gave her a mock glare and quickly snapped a picture of her in retaliation.  
She laughed and gave him a light shove, to which he just chuckled. He locked his bike and shoved the keys in his pocket and held out his arm for her. She smiled and placed her arm through his, letting him lead the way.

He lead her to one of her favourite places in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She smiled widely and quickly brought up her camera to snap a picture of the front before turning back to Jace to see he had his camera up as well.  
"This is my favourite museum!" she told him delightedly.  
She grabbed his hand and quickly dragged him inside and to the right to start the tour. They weren't allowed to use cameras in the museum, but neither Clary or Jace cared. Clary brought him over and started talking about each piece plus some of her memories associated with them.

Jace just listened as she shared her life an experiences with him. He watched as her eyes gleamed under the lights and the ever consistent smile. Even when she was talking he could hear the smile in her voice. He was amazed simply at how much she was sharing with him. She told him about how when her and Simon were kids they'd come in here after school until close so that Simon wouldn't get attacked by bullies on the walk home. She told him how her mother had once worked here as a guide and because of that she had gotten Clary into a lot of the exclusive exhibits.

He felt as if Clary was opening up her diary for him and he revelled in the information. It touched him deep inside and with each story he marvelled at her ability to simply open up. Most of his experiences had gone untold to anyone except for maybe Will. He had heard a story or two, but that was as much as he'd ever shared. After Annalise he had sworn to himself that he would never get another person involved with his life. Yet here and now, listening to Clary speak he wished he had experiences to share with her as she did with him.

The pair moved through the museum rather quickly, just long enough to appreciate each piece before continuing. Before Jace even realised what was happening they were perusing through the gallery's gift shop. He knew it was all overpriced but Clary looked at it all lovingly—like they were old friends. He watched her fingers feel the fabrics of the clothing they had on offer and her eyes trace the curves of the imitation statues. He noticed her linger on a set of pastels, and he smiled as she picked up the tin and read the inscription on the back. It was then he decided to buy them for her. He knew she had a passion for art and she clearly wanted these to add to her collection.

He reached out and took the case from her. She looked at him in surprise and he smiled down at her. Her brows furrowed slightly as he turned from her.  
"Jace, wait, what are you doing?" she asked.  
He gave her a grin and shrugged.  
"Buying some pastels for my girlfriend," he told her before striding to the counter and sliding the package over with some money.  
The lady smiled brightly at him as Clary tugged on his arm.  
"Seriously, you don't have to do that—I can get them," she insisted, pulling out her own purse.  
He gave her a stern look.  
"No. I am buying, I want to," he told her firmly.  
She looked at him for a moment, her eyes studying his face—for what he didn't know. A small smile crept onto her face and her cheeks flushed slightly. A few locks of her unruly hair had fallen over her face giving her an innocent and sweet look. He knew there was no photography allowed but he couldn't help but bring his camera up quickly and snap a picture of her like that. Her eyes widened as the flash startled her and she tried to look grumpy at him. He just grinned cheesily which she ended up copying.  
"You two are so cute together," the sales assistant commented as she watched the pair before her.  
Jace and Clary looked up, remembering that they weren't alone. Clary flushed redder and Jace gave her a smile.  
"Yeah, my girlfriend is super cute," he agreed with her.  
The lady laughed softly as Clary turned into a tomato. She then handed him his change as well as the bag containing the pastels.  
"Have a lovely day you two," she told them kindly.  
The pair nodded and left, moving onto their next adventure.

Clary and Jace walked hand in hand to the next destination, Top Of The Rock. Clary looked up at the building and smiled inquisitively. She had been meaning to come here for awhile but had never been able to justify the ticket price tag. She looked over at Jace and he pulled out his wallet and with it two VIP tickets. Her eyebrows raised slightly and he handed her one.  
"Thanks," she murmured softly.  
He smiled at her and lead her in. He nodded at the doorman and walked over to the ticket counter. Clary and Jace both showed their tickets and the attendant took them, scanned them before handing them back.  
"Enjoy your visit!" he said cheerily before moving onto the next person.  
Clary looked around curiously and Jace took her hand in his, leading her to the main lobby.  
"Look up."

Clary followed his direction and gasped as she saw the enormous chandelier. There must have been thousands of crystals she guessed as light glimmered off every conceivable angle. She heard the click of a camera and looked at him accusingly.  
"You did that on purpose!"  
His unabashed grin told her she was right.  
"How else was I supposed to get that picture?" he asked her.  
She smiled and then proceeded to pose for him. He snapped another picture.  
"By asking," she told him.  
He just shook his head.  
"It's not the same."  
She just shook her head at him.  
"C'mon, I wanna see the rest," she whined playfully.

He chuckled and lead her through the security stop and into the Mezzanine Exhibit. Clary oohed as she looked over all the pictures, statues and information.  
"Jace! Did you know that this is the 14th tallest building in New York? And that John D. Rockefeller had his own private elevator and vault?!"  
Jace grinned as her eyes shined. He was glad she was enjoying herself as he had debated rather extensively over whether or not to bring her here—almost deciding not to. He let her pull him around to each section of information and pretended it was new to him as she excitedly told him facts that were interesting.

The moved onto the next section and Clary gasped in surprise.  
"The lunch on the steel beam photo was taken _here?!_ " she asked rhetorically.  
He nodded and smiled down at her, quickly snapping a picture of her surprise. She barely even glanced at him as she took in the iconic photo.  
"I love this photo," she told him softly.  
"It's one of my favourites too," he said quietly.  
They walked through the exhibit and then posed at the end for a tribute photo.

They breezed through the video about John D. Rockefeller and NBC and before Clary could even think they were in the elevator taking them to the observation deck. She grinned widely at Jace and clutched his hand tightly in excitement. He marvelled at her and about how the everyday was so new and beautiful to her. He could see in her eyes how excited she was to get to the top whereas to him it was just another trip to see the New York City. The elevator dinged at floor 67 and Jace made to leave but Clary kept him anchored in the lift.  
"I wanna go right to the top," she told him.  
He just smiled and nodded. The lift rose another three floors and stopped, dinging as the doors opened.

Clary stepped out and gasped at the unimaginable beauty before her. The New York City skyline spread out before her and in the late morning sun everything looked absolutely radiant. She could see the Empire State Building jutting into the sky like a steel watchtower. Central Park was over to her right, looking greener than she'd ever seen it. She could see the Hudson River far off in the distance and she smiled. This was her home, the city that never sleeps. She would never give it up for anything. She could feel the wind buffet her slightly as she pulled up her camera and began to furiously snap pictures. She took them from every angle and with every filter she had.

Jace watched her closely, fiddling about with the camera and snapping pictures and wondered what she was seeing that he didn't. He raised his camera up and looked into the digital screen and started idly snapping away as she was. He decided to try a few filters and before he knew it the world before him was transforming. With a single filter he could changed the entire tone and story of the city before him and he started to see what she was seeing.

Clary looked over to Jace and she smile softly upon seeing the small, amazed smile on his face as he snapped and played with his camera. She was glad he was sharing this moment with her, seeing as she did. She knew she read more into the world around them than most—that was the artist coming out but she felt like he was glimpsing it too. She knew he was completely oblivious to her and she took the opportunity to snap a few pictures of him.

After a good 20 minutes of taking photos Jace turned to Clary to see her snap a picture of him. He fought back the heat that wanted to rise in his face, choosing to step over to her.  
"Thanks for bringing me here, Jace. This place is amazing, I can't believe I've never been here before," she said honestly to him.  
He looked down at her and smiled.  
"My pleasure. I'll be honest, bringing you here was like seeing it all for the first time. I don't know how you did it but… I'm seeing everything so differently with you here," he admitted to her.  
She blushed lightly, giving him a cheeky smile.  
"Maybe my artist's eye is rubbing off on you," she laughed.  
"I think it must be," he murmured softly.

"Excuse me, but would you like me to take a couple pictures of you two?"  
The pair turned in surprise to see a woman standing before them with a kind smile. Clary smiled widely and nodded, handing over her camera.  
"If you don't mind?" Clary answered.  
"Of course not, otherwise I wouldn't have offered," she answered cheerfully, taking the camera, quickly familiarising herself with the buttons.  
Clary smiled and stood back a bit leaning her head on Jace's shoulder. He wrapped his arm reassuringly around her waist and they both smiled.  
The camera clicked, indicating a photo had been taken and Jace asked for her to take another. The woman was more than happy to oblige and they all got into position again. This time though, just as the photo was about to be taken, Jace leaned in and kissed Clary's cheek. The resulting shot managed to get the look of surprise but pleasure on Clary's face as her cheek tingled from where his lips touched.  
"You're sneaky!" Clary accused him as he just shrugged.  
Clary huffed playfully and the woman cooed at them.  
"You two are just so cute!"  
"Would it be too much trouble to ask if you could just grab one more photo of us?" Clary pleaded.  
"Of course, honey!" the woman responded with an easy smile.

Clary stood next to Jace and again he wrapped his arm around her waist. Clary smiled for the camera as Jace did; he was completely unaware that she was planning to ambush him. At just the right moment, Clary spun and stood up on her toes to plant a kiss straight on his lips. Jace heard the woman 'aww' just as the camera clicked and he smiled into Clary's lips before she pulled back with a cheeky, bright eyed expression. He could feel his heart in his throat just from her simple display of affection and he shook his head before leaning his forehead on hers.  
"And you say _I'm_ sneaky," he teased, pulling her in closer.  
Clary just smiled innocently at him.  
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she responded innocently.  
The click of a camera came again and they turned to the woman, who shrugged sheepishly.  
"I couldn't help myself. You were just too cute. In any case, I have to go now. I hope you have an amazing day!" she gushed as she handed Clary back her camera.  
"Thank you so much for taking those pictures for us!" Clary thanked her and the just shrugged her thanks away.  
"Honestly, it was my pleasure, you two kind of… give me hope, y'know?" she said gently.  
Jace smiled and placed an arm around Clary's shoulders.  
"I know exactly what you mean," he told her.  
Clary blushed again and lightly slapped him.  
"I should have just asked Isabelle to paint me red and save my body the trouble," she grumbled.  
Jace laughed and kissed the top of her head.  
"But then I would miss out on the immense joy of being the cause of your blushing."  
Clary flushed redder.  
"Shut up," she grumbled.

He knew she wasn't mad at him and they walked back into the elevator.  
"So are you hungry?" he asked her.  
Her stomach growled in response, the sound echoing off the tinny elevator walls.  
"I'll take that as a yes," Jace laughed. "Trust me, you're going to love the place I'm taking you!"


	31. Chapter 31

**Aww! You guys! You seriously are the sweetest and most amazing people ever! Your well wishes and luck I think have seriously played a part in how good my week has been! Thank you everyone!**

 **Of course, shout outs in particular go to these lovely people for leaving a review! glitterangel1, reppinda5o3, Catastrophicmind** -I really hope you can log in again soon! I would hate to be unable to log in! Have you sent a message to the support team? **, feysandcats, CerysFangirl01 and TisITisITheSaltiestFry!**

 **I would also like to say something; I live in Australia and have never been to any of these places, so I kinda of have had to describe them from pictures on the internet and their websites, if you have been there and I've gotten it wrong-I'm sorry, I tried, haha.  
Anywho, onto the good stuff!**

 **Date PART TWO!**

* * *

As they walked to their next destination Clary worried that they were going somewhere expensive to eat. It made her feel slightly nervous about what she would have to spend. She knew that Jace knew she didn't have as much money but regardless of what he thought, she was going to at least pay half. They passed several blocks with nice restaurants before her brow furrowed.  
"Jace, where exactly are we going?" she asked.  
He gave her a grin and she could see his eyes lighting up in excitement. She realised he truly wanted her to see this place and it was somewhere he, evidently, loved.  
"You'll see. We're almost there!" he told her.  
Sure enough, they turned a corner and Clary stood in front of a sign _Chelsea Market_. Clary looked at the building curiously. It was red brick building with a neon sign which gave it a kind of rustic charm. Jace tugged on her arm and she turned to see him snap another picture of her. She just grinned and stuck her tongue out at him.  
"C'mon! It is _amazing_ in there! You will never want to leave, I promise!" he assured her.  
Clary smiled at him and quickly snapped a picture of him, trying to pull her in. He rolled his eyes good naturedly at her and together they walked in.

Clary's senses were immediately overwhelmed by the smell of spices, books and just… stuff. It was hard for her to decipher. There was an underlying hint of old brick, which was the building, combined with an array of spices and herbs. Just floating above that all was a sweet smell of perfumes, old perfumes, new perfumes, it was unique and oddly, not a bad smell. There were old, retro looking light bulbs that dispersed a warm light over everything. It gave everything a warm, cosy and nostalgic feeling and Clary didn't even notice as the grin spread over her face.  
"This place is something else, Jace," she commented.  
"You haven't seen anything yet."  
Clary glanced at him and he gave her an encouraging smile as he dragged her further in. All at once it opened up into a great big lane filled with little shops and bakeries and restaurants. It was like the foodie, muggle version of Diagon Alley from Harry Potter. Jace watched as a smile grew on her face, her eyes alight with wonder and amazement. Clary walked down the alley, her head snapping this way and that. She was constantly taking photos and Jace joined her in the spirit of it all, taking photos of anything and everything.

Clary had decided she wanted to do a lap of the building, see what was available and go from there. Jace was all too happy to tag along behind her, however once he saw the Doughnuttery stand, he had to intervene.  
"You have never had doughnuts as good as these," he promised her as he tugged her over.  
"Two Purple Pigs, Pumpkin Pie Brulee and Cinnamon sugar doughnuts with Nutella and Beer Caramel dipping sauce, please," Jace ordered, handing over the correct money.  
The lady behind the counter nodded and quickly boxed up his order, before handing it back.  
"Pumpkin doughnuts? Beer caramel sauce? You had better know what you are doing..." Clary told him.  
He smiled at her.  
"I promise."  
She just shrugged and stepped away with him as they opened up their doughnuts. She was a little unimpressed by the doughnuts—they didn't look any different to normal doughnuts, except for colour and size; they were smaller than the average doughnut. Nevertheless she reached in and took a 'Purple Pig' doughnut, taking a small bite.  
Jace watched in satisfaction as Clary moaned from her first bite of her doughnut.  
"This is incredible!"  
He gave her a smug look.  
"I know."  
"I want to glare at you for making that face—but these are too good," she confessed.  
His smirk grew.  
"Try it with the Beer Caramel sauce."  
She had no qualms about trusting him and dove straight in. The noise she made when she took a bite was completely primal and full of pleasure. Jace smirked as she looked up at him through hooded eyes. Jace couldn't deny that the sight of her like that turned him on-just a little.  
"I will never doubt you again."  
"I know."

After the amazing doughnuts Jace took Clary's hand and lead her over to Fat Witch Bakery and bought her a Caramel Witch brownie and a Java Witch brownie—both of which were decadent and sinful to eat. Clary couldn't believe the overwhelming amount of good food around.  
"Do you like seafood?" Jace asked her.  
Clary nodded, her mouth half full of the last of her Java brownie.  
"Good."  
Moments later they stopped in front of Cull and Pistol a seafood restaurant. Jace led them in and they were seated at a table, with menus by a waiter with messy brown hair, awfully reminiscent of the 'emo' hairstyles of the early 2000's.  
"Hi, I'm Dylan, I'll be your server," the waiter greeted them.  
His eyes ran appreciatively over Clary's body as she opened her menu. Clary didn't notice but Jace did and he felt a surge of both pride and protectiveness. He wanted to shield Clary from this kid's lecherous appraisal of her body, but as much as he hated to admit it, he was so smug that Clary was his to show off.  
"Hi, can we please start with a couple of waters, then we'll be ready to order," Clary answered kindly.  
Dylan smiled charmingly at her and nodded, hurrying away. Jace raised an eyebrow at her.  
"How do you know I wanted a water?" he teased her.  
"Because the water will cleanse your palate so you can better enjoy your seafood," Clary shot back smugly.  
"Maybe I wanted to wash it down with a Coke?"  
"Sure, sure, if you wanted to destroy the delicate flavours of the seafood," Clary responded sarcastically.  
Jace just chuckled to himself and raised his menu back up. Clary followed suit and chewed on her lip anxiously, the prices here were rather expensive and she didn't know if she had the funds to make an order.  
"Hey Jace… You know we don't have to do anything fancy right?" Clary started timidly.  
Jace's eyes caught hers and she noticed they were glowing a soft gold with reassurance and affection.  
"I know, Clary, but I want to treat you," he told her, his voice earnest.  
Clary pressed her lips together, and a small furrow knotted her brows.  
"Clare, don't you worry about the price of anything, okay? I've got this. You can get the next date, if you're that worried," Jace reassured her.  
Her emerald eyes flickered up to meet his and he saw a bit of hope shine through.  
"You want a second date?" she asked shyly.  
Jace felt his lips turn up at the corners.  
"Yes, I do."  
Clary fought hard not to grin like a lunatic at his words, instead choosing just to smile calmly and look back at her menu. Inside though, she had jumped up on the table and was now squealing and shrieking with delight that Jace wanted a second date with her.

"Here we are, sorry for the delay," Dylan apologised, bringing with him two large glasses of water and a chilled bottle of water.  
He set them down on the table, but fumbled, causing him to spill the water over Jace.  
"Oh my God, I am so sorry man!" Dylan immediately began to apologise as Jace jumped up.  
Irritation was clear on his face but Clary could only giggle, and admire the way his shirt now clung to his body like a second skin. His defined abs were now on clear display for the whole restaurant to see and Clary was definitely enjoying her front row seat.  
"It's fine, just excuse me, Clary, I'll be right back," Jace excused himself for the bathroom, hoping to dry his shirt off.  
Clary's eyes followed him before turning back to the table with red cheeks and impure thoughts in her mind.  
A light touch on her elbow brought her back and she looked up at the owner of the hand on her elbow in confusion.  
"Clary? Was it?" Dylan asked.  
"Yes?" she asked curiously.  
"I just wanted to say I'm so sorry for spilling water all over your friend," he apologised again.  
Clary gave him a reassuring smile and shrugged his apology away.  
"It's okay, accidents happen," she laughed lightly. "I'm a waitress myself so I know all about it."  
"Oh, good, then you totally understand. Where do you work?" he asked her.  
"I work in a restaurant called Taki's, it's family owned so it's really quite sweet," Clary answered.  
"That sounds really nice, I'll make sure to stop by sometime," he commented.  
"Try the pancakes, they're the best!" Clary informed him.  
He chuckled lightly and nodded.  
"I will. I have to get back to work, and I am very sorry to have made such a mess and thank you for being so understanding," he responded.  
He gave her elbow a light squeeze and then moved on. Clary shook her head bemusedly and waited for Jace to return.

Jace scowled as he left the bathroom, his shirt was still damp and wasn't getting any better now matter how much he tried to dry it. As he walked out he saw their stupid waiter give Clary's arm a squeeze before leaving their table. He felt a seed of doubt and jealousy form in the pit of his stomach. He wondered if she wanted to be here with him as much as he wanted to be here with her, she hadn't said anything when he said he wanted a second date. She had just smiled, to him that looked like a good sign—but what if she didn't actually want to? What if this was all just a ruse and she was going to laugh at him with Isabelle, later?

A million insecurities ate away at him as he walked closer to where Clary was waiting for him. He slid in the booth across from her and he saw her smile real big at him.  
"Hey, did your shirt dry?" she asked.  
"Nah, not completely," he responded quietly.  
"At least it's only water, right?"  
He nodded in agreement.  
"Have you decided what you want, yet?" he asked her.  
"Nooo… I want everything!" Clary whined.  
Jace couldn't help the laugh at the her pout.  
"Okay. Okay, I know what to order," Jace informed her.  
Clary closed her menu and pushed it aside.  
"I trust you."  
He blinked at her words and at the sincerity in her eyes and voice. She trusted him, she had said it a few times before but now it was really sinking in. It wasn't as simple as him simply ordering food, he could see that she really meant it—and that meant everything to him. He would do anything in his power to make sure she never had to worry or doubt him.

"Ready to order?"  
Dylan's voice broke Jace out of his reverie and he turned to the kid whom was still glancing at Clary. Now this kid was starting to get on his nerves.  
"Yes, thanks Dylan," Clary responded nicely.  
He gave her a smile and Jace fought the urge to roll his eyes.  
"We would like to start with a Royal sampler, then we would like a Clambake lunch with a side of New Bay fries, thank you," Jace ordered.  
He heard the kid mutter something under his breath and Jace narrowed his eyes fractionally.  
"Jace," Clary hissed.  
She knew just how expensive those items were and he couldn't believe he was spending that much money on food.  
"Clare, you'll love it. I told you I wanted to spoil you. Please let me," Jace told her honestly.  
Clary paused and then nodded slowly.  
"Okay."

Their sampler plate came quickly and the teens quickly demolished the platter.  
"Oh, my God, that was amazing!" Clary groaned as she leaned back in her chair.  
"I always forget how good the seafood is when I come here," Jace commented lazily.  
"I don't know how you could," Clary commented. "It's so much better than the stuff I grew up on."  
Jace wondered what she had grown up on but before he could ask, their server interrupted them.  
"Hey guys, how was everything?" he asked, his eyes trained on Clary.  
She smiled brightly up at him.  
"That was by far the best seafood I have ever had!"  
Dylan laughed deprecatingly as he lightly touched her shoulder. Jace tensed up and fought his urge to hit the kid.  
"I'm glad you think so. Your clambake should be out shortly," he informed them.  
Clary smiled and nodded before digging into her bag for something. As it was she missed the smug look Dylan gave Jace. It immediately set his nerves on edge and Jace just grit his teeth together. He had been hitting on Clary and flirting with her the entire time they had been here and worst of all Clary didn't even realise, she just smiled and laughed misplacing it at server kindness. Now that kid thought he was in and undermining Jace and that really got under his skin.  
"I really don't like that kid," Jace ground out.  
"Which kid?" Clary asked.  
"Our server."  
She glanced over at Dylan and nodded.  
"Yeah, he's an ass," she said nonchalantly.  
Jace was shocked. She had been so pleasant with Dylan, but now she was calling him an ass?  
"What?" he asked, surprise colouring his tone.  
Clary's green eyes met his and he was distaste swirling in them as well as a hint of mischievousness.  
"He _knows_ we're here on a date, yet blatantly keeps flirting with and touching me, while trying to completely undermine you. It's gross, and completely disrespectful," she answered, her tone showing her level of disgust with the server.  
Jace's eyebrow raised and he tilted his head at her slightly.  
"You knew?" he asked.  
She gave him a somewhat condescending look.  
"Of course I knew! I work in hospitality—I've seen many eyes go astray. Plus, he's about as subtle as a herd of stampeding buffalo," she snorted.  
"So why haven't you said anything?" Jace asked curiously.  
Clary smiled like a Cheshire cat.  
"My dear Watson, it's elementary," she responded, and would say no more.  
Jace was completely flummoxed and in awe of the red head before him. She truly was something else.

Shortly after their conversation, their clambake arrived and they immediately began to devour the dish. Clary was sure the make a show of moaning and groaning in delight from the food and licking her fingers clean. She wasn't even entirely sure of what she was doing but she was annoyed with Dylan for disrespecting her relationship with Jace. As a result, she tried to think like Isabelle, and asked herself what Isabelle would do; which is how she came up with her plan.

When Dylan came over to clear their plate Clary reached out and touched his hand briefly.  
"Is there any chance you could find out how to make a nice clambake like this one? Please?" Clary pleaded.  
Dylan smiled warmly at her.  
"I'll see what I can do for you," he assured her.  
She smiled up at him innocently and then back at Jace and winked as Dylan walked away.  
"What exactly is your plan, Miss. Morgenstern?" Jace inquired.  
Clary smirked at him and then rose from her seat to sidle in next to him. He looked down at her as she focused her attention mostly over his arms and chest.  
"Did you know, Jace, that oysters are considered as aphrodisiacs?" she asked him in a soft voice.  
Jace blinked and swallowed as she began to twirl her fingers over his biceps, before moving up to his shoulder and down his chest. She sent shivers through his body and somewhere deep inside it was working magic on his more primal side, the side that wanted to do R-rated things with Clary.  
"I-I do now," he murmured.  
She smiled from under her eyelashes at him and she tilted her head to the side slightly. Jace watched her hair fall over one side of her face, casting alluring shadows over her face.  
"Mhmm, and I don't know about you, but I had a lot of oysters," she whispered, her voice thick with implication.  
Jace swallowed hard again and exhaled heavily, tried not to let his hormones get the best of him while Clary felt powerful and exhilarated. While this was, in part, to shame the server, part of it was that she really wanted to have an excuse to kiss Jace.  
"Jace?" she whispered.  
She tilted her head up slightly so she could see directly into his smouldering, gold-bronze eyes. They met hers and she could see just how much he wanted her and it sent a thrill through her body.  
"Clary?"  
"Kiss me."

Jace wasted no time complying with her wishes. He dipped his head to meet hers and time stopped as their lips touched. His hands cupped her face, keeping her locked to him as hers danced at the hem of his shirt. Her fingers left a burning trail everywhere they touched and it spurred him on. He gently tugged on her lower lip with his teeth and enjoyed the slight whimper she responded with. Her right leg came over and her foot hooked around his right calf. His left hand came down to rest on her thigh, while his right moved to the back of her head to tangle in her hair. Her right hand travelled slightly up his shirt to rest on his his abs, her nails digging in slightly as her left hand wasted no time knotted deep into his golden locks.

A loud cough interrupted them and Jace was pleased to see Clary was slightly out of breath and somewhat dazed as they broke apart. Her lower lip was slightly more swollen than her top and he found it rather cute. Her cheeks were flushed a bright red and she had this cute little smile on her face that he hadn't seen before. He wondered what made her smile like that, but before he could dwell on it Clary snapped out of her daze and looked up to Dylan.  
"Sorry, Dylan. I've been trying to keep my hands off him all through lunch but I think the oysters just pushed past my self control. I mean, you didn't exactly help either, throwing the water on my boyfriend. I mean, did you see his abs? How could you resist? And I have to tell you, they're even better in person," Clary gushed out.  
Jace gave Dylan the same smug look he had given him earlier and wrapped his arm around Clary. Dylan looked horrified and bewildered.  
"I—I," Dylan stuttered.  
"I just wanna say Dylan, that I support you. I know that Jace does too, but it's completely inappropriate how you acted today," Clary said gently.  
"Wh-what?" Dylan asked, his eyes wide in confusion.  
Clary bit her lip and looked around for any other guests before leaning forwards with a kind and understanding expression.  
"We know you're gay, and it's okay, it really is. Two of my closest friends are gay and in love," Clary reassured him, gently reaching out for Dylan's hand.  
Dylan looked horrified while Jace realised just exactly what Clary's plan had been.  
"What? H-how? I-I'm not—" he spluttered out.  
"Well, first, you spilled water on Jace to get a view of his abs, or maybe you meant for the water to spill lower so you could 'dry' it, then you were flirting with me to get his attention, or to make him jealous. I'm not sure, and I find it completely inappropriate… but honey, he's not gay," Clary explained gently.  
Jace watched in amusement as the kid's face turned white. He decided to add to it and stuck out his hand for him to shake.  
"I'm flattered, I really am; but I just don't swing that way—not that I have anything against it. It's just not for me," he assured him.  
Dylan looked at him and limply shook his hand.  
"I-I'll get your bill..."

Clary and Jace glanced at each other as he left and both had to fight back shit eating grins.  
"That'll teach him to do that again," Jace laughed.  
Clary gave him an idle look and raised an eyebrow.  
"Jealous were we?" she teased.  
He just grumbled under his breath, neither agreeing nor denying. Clary's smile grew wider and she pressed her lips to his cheek.  
"You don't have anything to worry about, I promise," she assured him.  
Clary could see he was debating something internally before he turned to her, his gold eyes looking slightly reserved. A frown flickered over her face, she hadn't seen that expression in a while and she wondered what was going on in his mind.  
"Clare—"  
"Here you go."  
Clary could have killed their waiter at that moment. Jace took the bill, checked it and threw some money down for it. He gave it back to Dylan and the now sullen waiter disappeared without so much as a glance at them.

They walked out of the restaurant and around the corner before Jace stopped her. He faced her and she waited patiently for him to spit out what he was thinking about.  
"Clary, do you want to go on another date with me? Or do you not plan to do that? Are you going to laugh at this whole date with Isabelle?" Jace blurted out.  
Clary was completely confused as to where this was all coming from and she could tell it was something that seriously worried him. She gently placed her hand on his cheek and smiled at him.  
"Jace, of _course_ I want to go on another date with you, I want to go on so many more dates with you, but only if you want to," Clary told him honestly.  
Jace closed his eyes and took a heavy breath.  
"Sorry, I'm just being stupid and blowing this all out of proportion. Just ignore me," he mumbled.  
Clary shook her head.  
"No. I want to know. If we are going to work we need honesty. Jace, you need to let me know what you're thinking—not every single thing, every second of the day, but if you're worried about something then I want to know. I want to be there and help you. You have a lot of turmoil in your mind and I want to help ease some of it," Clary tried to make him understand.  
Jace looked at her and smiled.  
"You are, without a doubt, the most amazing person I know and I am so grateful that you… you want to spend your time with me," he murmured.  
Clary just shook her head and smiled at him.  
"I'm the lucky one here, Mister," she told him.  
He just shook his head and pressed his lips to the top of her head.

The two spent the rest of the day in the Chelsea Market, looking through all the shops and trying even more food. Clary couldn't remember a time when she felt more full but couldn't stop eating. Everything she tasted was phenomenal and she was so glad that Jace had brought her here. They were now currently hand-in-hand and walking back to Jace's apartment where he would take her home on his bike.  
"I just wanted to say, I've had the greatest time today. Honestly… I kind of decided to swear off boys because of Raphael," Clary started, and she felt Jace's hand squeeze tighter at the mention of Raphael. "But, I'm glad I didn't swear you off, and I'm glad you're giving us a shot, because today has been the best day in a long time. Thank you."  
Clary had mostly been playing awkwardly with Jace's fingers but as she finished she chanced a look up at his face. He was watching her intently. His eyes were a molten gold colour and he was studying her carefully, like she was completely new and precious. It made her feel special, and that was something that had been sorely lacking in her life, now that she thought about it.  
"Clary… you are, honestly, the first person I have ever… _felt_ something for. Sure, there have been other pretty girls that have tried but you… You're different. You're _beautiful._ Inside and out, and you know pain and hardship. To me, that makes you even more precious. I-I… I want to protect you. I want to know you. You… You're… amazing. You astound me every day in all different ways," Jace was trying to make her understand how he felt when suddenly the right phrase jumped into his mind.  
" _Each time you happen to me all over again,_ " Jace murmured to her softly.  
Clary smiled, her eyes feeling rather damp at the sentiment coming from him and she leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder and her arm around his waist.  
"Thank you," she whispered.  
No one had ever said anything so kind and beautiful to her before, she understood though. The same thing happened to her.

"I should very much like to enjoy another day like this with you," Clary told him, with a big, bright smile on her face.  
Jace looked down at her and found himself smiling too. More than smiling, he was soaring high and light with the knowledge she cared like he did and knowing that she wanted to do this again.  
"I should very much like to do the same, dearest Clary."  
Clary's face reddened at being called 'dearest' and she mock glared at him.  
"Don't make fun of me," she threatened.  
"I am not, I am enjoying the use of the proper language as opposed to the ignorant vernacular and idioms used by our peers," he informed her in a smooth and cultured voice.  
Clary raised her eyebrows at him, not wanting to admit how much she liked how his voice sounded. Smooth and refined, like he put thought and care into each syllable.  
"I can see that, would you care to partake in a friendly contest of quotes?" Clary asked.  
She didn't really know what she was doing, she wasn't overly cultured herself but she wanted to hear him speak like that some more. Jace smirked down at her lightly and placed his mouth near her ear.  
"Do thy worst."  
Clary felt a slight tremble and blushed.

" _When virtue and modesty enlighten her charms, the lustre of a beautiful woman is brighter than the stars of heaven, and the influence of her power it is in vain the resist,_ " he whispered to her.  
Clary's mouth dropped in shock as Jace's eyes burned into hers. She had never thought something so beautiful would ever come from his mouth. She didn't even know what to respond with.  
" _A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other,"_ Clary blurted out the first thing that came to mind, she was just thankful it was something smart, not silly.  
"Dickens? An intelligent man. _And O' there are days in this life worth life and worth death."  
_ " _Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise."  
_ " _We can destroy what we have written, but we cannot unwrite it."  
_ Clary threw her hands up in the air.  
"I give up, my good and dear sir, you are far more intellectually and literary-ly educated than my poor common self!" Clary proclaimed dramatically, draping a hand across her forehead in woe.  
Jace smiled, the perfect quote springing into mind.  
" _The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination."  
_ Clary shook her head wondrously at the boy next to her. His gold-blonde hair falling messily over his unique golden eyes which were gazing down at her with affection and she wondered how she had gotten so lucky.  
"You are honestly incredible," she told him softly.  
She watched as a faint pink touched his cheeks and she smiled at the thought of finally being able to make him blush, instead of it being the opposite way around.

The rest of the journey to her house was in comfortable silence until he was dropping her off at her front door. That was where Clary felt her heart pick up at he walked her up her family's front steps. This was the part where they were supposed to kiss, and even though they had already kissed, plenty of times, she still felt her heart race in nervousness. She stopped in front of her door and dipped her head awkwardly.  
"This is me," she said, as if he already didn't know.  
Jace chuckled lightly and ran a hand through his already messy hair.  
"I had a great time," Clary said for what felt like the millionth time.  
"Me too," he responded.  
He felt silly, he reminded himself that this was just Clary and he had nothing to be afraid of, but it wasn't stopping the slight tremble in his hands.  
" _Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say good night 'til it is morrow,"_ Clary said quietly.  
She watched the smile spread across his face and he stepped in closer to her. The porch light back lit him and gave him an angelic halo, one that glowed gold thanks to his hair. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He then leaned in until his breath was caressing the shell of her ear, sending shivers down her spine.  
" _The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again_ ," he whispered, before pressing his lips to her cheek.  
Clary felt a soft glow radiate through her body at his words and as he began to pull away she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. She felt him smile before he responded to her gently. His hands rested gently on her hips, holding her stable as she reached up on her tip toes to meet him. The kiss was sweet, melting her insides and bones until she felt weak in the knees, at which point she had to pull herself away before fell to the ground.  
"I'll see you on Monday?" she asked as she lowered herself to stand flat footed.  
"Monday," he whispered.  
She turned away but he caught her arm and pulled her back for one last kiss before she disappeared, red faced and smiling through her door.

* * *

 ** _I_ n order the quotes are from:**

 **-The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton  
\- Akhenaton  
-Charles Dickens  
-Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens  
-Victor Hugo  
-A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.  
-Albert Einstein.  
-Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare  
-Charles Dickens**


	32. Chapter 32

**So the common trend of these is to apologise for wait times and this is no different. I know this has taken ages and I'm really sorry... This chapter was so difficult to write(it's literally taken me days to write, with me sometimes not even able to write more than a sentence or two) and as a result I'm really not a fan of this, but I feel like it's kind of an important one. We get a slightly more in depth look into Jon and why he's behaving this way.**

 **Anyway! Onto the good stuff! SHOUTOUTS: glitterangel1, xTheMorningStarx, CerysFangirl01, feysandcats, reppinda503 and LOVERGIRL! You guys are the backbone to this story, I swear. Every time I felt like not writing I thought of you guys and your comments and knew I had to persevere for you, so thank you so much xo Never doubt the power of your kindness x**

* * *

On Monday Jace walked into the school and smiled upon seeing Clary waiting for him. She was leaning back against her locker looking like an angel in a pretty, knee length white dress, which set her hair and eyes on fire. The whispers that still surrounded him meant nothing to him knowing that Clary ignored them. A smile spread on her face as he got closer and it warmed his insides. He liked knowing that she smiled like that for him. Once he was close enough, Clary stepped up to him and twisted her hands around his neck. His instinctively sought out her waist and his heart raced as she looked up at him.  
"Hey, you," she said softly.  
His smile broadened and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.  
"Hey, you," he mimicked.  
He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. He saw the red creep through her face and he grinned.  
"Shut up," she grumbled, seeing the look on his face and the burn in her cheeks.  
His chest rumbled as a laugh escaped him.  
"It's not my fault my body loves to betray and embarrass me," Clary whined at his teasing.  
"I think you are extremely cute—even more so when you blush," he told her, knowing that she would turn redder.  
As he predicted, her cheeks darkened.  
"You're being mean," she pouted at him.  
He raised an eyebrow at her and she glared at him.  
"That's not fair!"  
"Do you want a kiss to make it all better?" he asked her.  
His eyes shined with amusement and she stuck her nose in the air.  
"You'll need to do better than that," she told him haughtily.  
He smirked at her and raised his eyebrow again.  
"Oh, really?" he challenged.  
Her eyes sparked in response, the fire that he loved burned deep in her emerald eyes.  
"Indeed."

He nodded thoughtfully and then quick as lightning hauled her up so her legs were now twisted around his waist and he was pressing her firmly against her locker.  
"I already know this trick," Clary told him disinterestedly.  
"No, you don't, Clary," he whispered lowly.  
She gulped as his eyes trapped her. They were that dark honey colour and she felt like she was drowning in them. He broke their stare as his face nuzzled into her neck and his teeth nipped at her skin. Clary fought back the whine that wanted to come through her throat and she felt him smirk against her neck. His lips touched her skin and she suddenly had a flashback to when he gave her a hickey and her cheeks reddened. It was at that moment he decided to do something completely unexpected. He blew a raspberry against her neck.

Clary squealed and couldn't hold in her laughter as he continued his assault.  
"S-s-stop! J-Jace!" she spluttered out between peals of laughter and squeals.  
He pulled back for a moment and she looked down at him, he looked up at her pleasantly as if they were discussing the weather.  
"No," he told her.  
He immediately returned to tickling her until she was begging him to stop with tears in her eyes from laughter.  
All of a sudden Jace was wrenched away from her with such force that Clary was dropped, like a stone to the ground. Pain exploded through her butt and back as she landed heavily, causing her to gasp and wince.

"She goddamn told you to stop!"  
Clary looked up confused as to what had happened and saw her brother shoving Jace back against the other set of lockers.  
"Jon!"  
"If I _ever_ catch you disrespecting her again I will _rip_ your asshole out through your mouth!"  
Clary could see the look on Jace's face and it broke her. She could see him building the wall back up around him. The wall she had only just managed to bring down.  
"Jonathan!" she shouted angrily.  
She saw him glance her way but did not back away from Jace. Clary stood up carefully, wincing when the pain flared back up.  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded.  
Jon looked at her with a stony expression.  
"If this guy _ever_ doesn't stop for you again, tell me," he told her.  
"Jon, he was _tickling_ me. We were playing around!"  
He glared harshly at her.  
"I don't care what the hell you guys were doing, if you say 'stop' _he goddamn stops!_ "  
Clary shook her head in annoyance and shoved Jon away from Jace.  
" _Stop_ ," she demanded.  
He glared at her.  
"I am _protecting_ you!" he growled.  
Clary rolled her eyes.  
"No, you're not. You're being a judgemental prick. Jace isn't going to hurt me. He's not going to kill me or whatever you have twisted up in your mind. Trust me, Jon, I know what I'm doing," Clary pleaded with him.  
"Oh, just like when you told me you knew what you were doing with Raphael too?" Jon scoffed.

Clary reeled back like she had been slapped.  
"That's what you think?" she whispered to him.  
"Come off it, Clary!" Jon snapped at her.  
Clary felt her lip begin to tremble and she dug into it hard, making sure to hide it from Jon.  
"This is nothing like then, Jonathan," she told him lowly.  
"Jesus, Clary. You're amazing. You see the best in everyone and then they show their true colours and it doesn't even matter to you! You just keep doing what you can to keep them happy!"  
Clary could read between the lines and she felt the shame roll over her and stew in her gut making her feel ill. Moisture built in her eyes, against her will and she tried to force it away.  
"I never knew that's what you thought of your little sister. Just some doormat who spreads her legs for whomever to keep them happy."  
Jace could almost feel the hurt Clary was going through and he saw Jon processing what she had said to him and his shoulders slumped.  
"No, Clary. That's—that's not what—"  
"Whatever. I don't care. I'm late for a meeting in the janitor's closet with Jace. Gotta keep him happy, right, Jonny?" Clary said to him coldly.  
Clary glared up at her brother who looked like he just ate something sour.  
"Clary—"  
"I'm sorry, Simon looks sad—better go fuck him, right?" Clary snapped.  
Jon looked at her disappointed and upset. His eyes were deep and hooded and his whole body looked deflated. Clary turned away to Jace and grabbed his hand. He held hers firmly, trying to give her strength. He could feel how her hands trembled and the sweat that had accumulated in her palm and he wanted to take that pain away. He hated that Jon couldn't look past that stupid article. Clary began to tug on his and together they moved off before Jace stopped, needing to say _something_ to Jon.

"Jon?"  
"Don't you say another _word,_ Herondale," Jon spat at him.  
Jace frowned and shook his head.  
"I can't believe that you would rather listen to a sensationalised news article from an unreputable news station than _Clary_. You, of all people, should know that I only have Clary's best interests at heart and she's not stupid or a slut or whatever opinion you seem to have formed—"  
"You know _nothing_ about what I think of Clary!" Jon growled.  
Jace rolled his eyes.  
"We can all read between the lines, Jon. As I was saying, Clary is an _exceptional_ person and you are treating her like shit and I want you to stop. You said that you were glad she had someone like me around. Someone that will protect her, and I will. Even from her brother who only seems to want to hurt her. Someone who would rather live in everyone's past than see the people they've grown into. Now I'm warning you Jon, _be kind to my girlfriend,"_ Jace told him firmly.  
He felt his heart racing in his chest because Jon had this look that said he wanted to punch him and he could tell it would hurt.  
"You think you saying this actually means something to me?" Jon snapped, a sneer carved into his features.  
"I guess not. When your mind is that narrow it's pretty hard to expand it," Jace growled, frustrated.  
"The hell did you just say to me?!" Jon demanded, standing in Jace's face.  
"That you're an ignorant, narrow minded, self serving jerk who would rather spit in the face of his sisters happiness," Jace spat, his golden eyes blazing.  
"I would be happy for her if she was with anyone but you," Jon scowled.  
"Yeah, I threaten the people who were assaulting her, I punch the guy who made derogatory comments about her, I make sure she is safe when she's found wandering the streets at night, I defend her honour, and I do all that I can to make her smile—I'm fucking awful!"

"Jace, let's just go..." Clary said from behind him.  
She was overwhelmingly touched by his words, just realising how much he cared and what he had done for her. Deep inside her she felt her heart swell and a blush rising to her cheeks. She slipped her hand onto Jace's clenched fist and she could feel the tension dissipate from his body.  
"I know I'm not good enough for her Jon just as I know that in my past I have made unforgivable mistakes. I cannot erase my past. As much as I wish I could, but I can move on and maybe…" Jace's voice was low and soft, clearly showing the depth of his own self hatred and it broke Clary's heart. She watched as his longing gold eyes met her and she saw his tongue peek out to lick his lips and continue. "Just maybe, one day if I do enough right by her I can be good enough to deserve her."  
Clary felt a smile creep onto her face and she squeezed his hand tighter. He gave her a small timid smile and she realised just how much he believed he didn't deserve her.  
"You will never deserve her, Herondale."  
With that parting sentiment Jon left, without even waiting for a response.

Jon couldn't believe that kid, the way he just threw his unwanted opinions out there. Like he was holier than thou. It made him sick, almost as sick as when he saw those two together. Even worse was that… he actually liked Jace. He liked that he stood up for Clary, that he protected her. He liked that he wasn't afraid of anyone when it came to defending her. He _wanted_ that in one of her boyfriends, but he just… he didn't know how to explain it. Once he had seen the article it was like the world had screeched for a halt. The kid that was so enamoured and protective of his sister was a killer. He knew what his father had said but he still, he couldn't shake the terror that he was going to wake up and find Clary dead and this kid lost to the wind.

"I heard you blew up at Herondale."  
Jon sighed and ran a hand roughly through his light blonde hair.  
"Man, I… I just… I can't deal with them," Jon growled in frustration.  
Sebastian sighed and grabbed Jon's shoulder, making the blonde face him.  
"What's the problem, seriously?"  
"Seb, he _killed his mother!_ What if Clary…? I don't… I can't..." Jon couldn't speak what he felt, and it frustrated him to no end.  
"Jon. Don't be an idiot. Look, I don't like the guy. He's pretentious and behaves like an ass most of the time, but… he's always different with Clary. He practically worships the ground she walks on. You know that..." Sebastian tried to reason.  
"Seb, I trusted Raphael at first too. When I first met him I had _no idea_ who he really was. He was just this Hispanic guy who Clary was dating and I knew it was serious because she was bringing him to dinner with the family. I met him and he played his part _so_ well. I thought he was good for her. I knew we were losing Clary, she was behaving so weirdly—and I… I thought her _drug dealer_ was going to make her better and bring her back to us," Jon admitted, the anger rising in him again.

He remembered meeting the guy and the way that Raphael had so easily twisted everyone around to like him. He had said all the right things, done all the right things... he hadn't touched Clary inappropriately-Hell, his goodnight kiss to Clary had been on the cheek! Jon could remember standing on the porch with him while Clary was ducking in to grab something and explaining that he was losing his sister, that she had been acting strange, hostile, defensive, and always crying. He remembered begging Raphael to help _him_ reach his sister and help _her_ find herself again. What a joke that had been...

Sebastian, meanwhile, was shocked, he had no idea that Clary had a problem with drugs and that she had dated a drug dealer. He was shocked that Clary had even _known_ someone like that. Much less that he'd 'met the family'. It raised a lot of questions in his mind that he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to.

"I—I"  
"What if Jace is the same? What if he is playing his part? What if… What if I lose her again…? I can't… I can't go through that again, Sebastian," Jon felt like he was almost on the verge of tears and he wanted to shake himself.  
"Jon, you _will_ lose her if you keep losing your cool at Jace. She doesn't tolerate that crap, you know she doesn't. By consistently attacking her boyfriend you're actually driving a wedge between you two. That's when you'll see less and less of her, she'll hide the fact that she's going to meet him, then you'll graduate and where does she go? With a boyfriend that loves her and _not_ near the brother that alienates her," Sebastian tried to reason.  
Jon stared at him, a cold wave of horror washing over him.  
"But for what it's worth… I really don't think Jace would do anything to hurt Clary. He just… When he looks at her it's like… the way I look at Kaelie. I would throw everything away, my money, my title, my last name, just to be with her. He looks at Clary like that. I really think you need to give him a chance," Sebastian urged him hesitantly. "For Clary's sake at least."  
Jon stared at his best friend in surprise.  
"I had no idea Kaelie was that important to you," Jon said, his voice clearly showing his surprise.  
He was even more surprised to see light pink spreading over his friends cheeks.  
"Yeah man, it took Clary for me to realise it, but… Yeah. She's special. I've known for a long time that I liked her and that she was special but after a disastrous dinner at my house Kaelie and I split. Then along comes Clary and she makes me realise that I'd rather be penniless and happy than rich and miserable. That's partly why I want her to be happy Jon. She deserves to be happy, and if Jace is the one to do it for her… then that's their business and not just business. That's their right. They're people who have made mistakes and need to be assured that their mistakes are not who they are. That they're more than a few bad decisions, and—I love you Jon. You're my brother from another mother, but… I just feel like you… that, their relationship… it's not…"

Sebastian was struggling to find the words. He wanted to say 'their relationship is none of your business' but he was a little afraid Jon would punch him.

"It's not my business, right?" Jon finished blandly.  
Sebastian gave him a wary look before nodding slowly. Jon sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.  
"Who knew you would get wise?"  
Sebastian glared at the blonde and he just laughed tensely.  
"I still don't know what to do though..."  
"I think you do, Jon."  
Jon looked over at Sebastian and sighed heavily nodding in agreement.  
"Yeah... but I don't want to."  
Sebastian laughed and clapped him on the back.  
"That's life, man."

* * *

 **So, I know nearly every TMI author on here writes about it and I've kinda wanted to not be the same but... MY GOD GUYS! The Seelie Court scene in Shadowhunters? Lost my proverbial, fangirl mind! It was simply just magic xo I've been waiting for that scene since basically the start of the series and they KILLED IT! 3 Mostly though, I feel bad for Jace. First Maia telling him it meant nothing then Clary? Way to kill a guys self esteem :( Especially as we all know Jace struggles so hard with it internally :( I mean, sure it could have been the vines choking him to death, but I swear I saw pain in his eyes when Clary hissed those words at him. My poor baby... Poor Simon too, but honestly, this just leaves the way open for Sizzy ;)  
Anywho-I'll stop there, haha.  
**


	33. Chapter 33

**Okay... I know it has been awhile but life happens guys, I'm touched you guys care and love this story so much but sometimes stuff just happens. For instance, I got married; anyone who has been married knows just how time consuming and stressful that is and if you haven't take the stress of your biggest school exams and multiply it tenfold. Also-I failed this term at Uni because of the stress of the wedding and my ever changing shifts at work and never having enough time to get to everything. Though, that being said, I have quit my job to focus on my study which also allows me much more time to write! So, more updates will be coming and more frequently!**

 **Also, in the past week I have started working on 2 new stories which I am really excited for! I want to post them up a bit later on down the storyline though so that I know they're actually worth posting.**

 **Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter and anyone still following along! You are beautiful and I love you xo  
** **Shout outs to: glitterangel1, feysandcats, reppinda5o3, xTheMorningStarx, TisITisITheSaltiestFry, ReadingManiac(Special thanks for giving me the extra nudge to get writing-I hope you're still reading!), LOVERGIRL, An Anonymous Shadowhunter-** Thank you for tagging along on this journey! Your question is a bit of a grey area. Clary definitely wouldn't do anything she wouldn't want to but I also want to remind everyone of the power of peer pressure. Being from a law enforcement family she would be well aware of the side effects and dangers of drug abuse. However with her best friend and Raphael pushing her, it's easy just to give in once, to think 'once won't hurt'. And once is all it takes, it gets easier and easier from there on in to say 'yes' and harder and harder to say 'no'. Remember, it's going through all this that has shaped Clary into the strong and confident girl we know now. I don't know if that has actually answered your question, but I hope it has. **Plus our lovely Guest-and I'm totally not offended! We all have our own opinions! The main thing is we love Jace and Clary! Haha.**

 **I would also like you all to know that coming up soon is some serious drama, just when you thought it was all over.  
** **P.S. All Red VS. Blue characters belong to Rooster Teeth, not me. Not even Caboose, sadly.**

* * *

The week passed by slowly and full of tension. Every time Jon saw Jace and Clary his jaw would tick, meanwhile every time Clary saw Jon she would death glare at him. All Jace could feel was awkwardness and guilt. He knew he was the reason the siblings were fighting and it added to the lead weight in his stomach every time he saw Jon. However, now was not the time to focus on that. Today was Simon's birthday and the group were all together to celebrate with a few hours of laser tag before ending up at Isabelle's for a party. Right now the co-ordinator was giving the last of them a gun and a vest.  
"So now we're going to split you into teams… Simon, you can be the captain of one team and… Jon, you can be the captain of the other," he told the two respective boys.  
Simon and Jon nodded, both turning to the group.  
"You pick first, Simon," Jon said, gesturing to their friends.  
"Isabelle."  
"Clary."  
"Maia."  
"Sebastian."  
"Jordan."  
"Alec."  
"Jace."  
"Magnus."

"Okay, Simon, you'll be blue team, Jon, you'll be red, I'll let you converse for a moment to come up with your code names and team names," the co ordinator instructed.  
Clary grinned at Simon and he grinned back; the two immediately knowing what the other was thinking. Clary turned back to her team and cleared her throat.  
"Okay guys, I will be Donut, Jon will be Sarge, Seb can be Grif, Alec can be Simmons and Mags, you can be Lopez!" she announced excitedly.  
The group stared at her and then laughed.  
"Why am I Grif?!" Sebastian exclaimed.  
Jon just looked at him.  
"The fact you have to ask is proof enough," he teased.  
"Ugh, you guys suck," Sebastian grumbled.  
"Does anyone else have any issues with their characters?" Clary asked.  
The others just shook their heads.

A few minutes later the groups faced back to each other and Jon stepped forwards with a smirk.  
"I'm Sarge, Alec is Simmons, Clary is Donut, Magnus is Lopez and Sebastian is Grif," Jon introduced.  
To his surprise, Jace stepped forwards.  
"I am Church, Jordan is Tucker, Isabelle is Texas, Maia is Sheila and Simon is Caboose," Jace responded, with an easy calmness.  
Clary smirked and mimed killing Jace. He grinned at her but reined it in when Jon's eyes narrowed at him.  
"We are going to own you," Jon promised him.  
"Not if we own you first, Sarge," Simon shot back.  
Jon raised his eyebrow at him.  
"Sure, Caboose," Jon responded, his voice filled with teasing sarcasm.

"Okay, so Blue Team you're going to start over by the fountain, Red Team, you'll start by the field."

The teams immediately ran off to their respective starting points and waited for the air horn. Clary could feel the excitement building up in her chest, she loved laser tag—all the fun of paint ball but with less bruises. She jogged next to Jon and nudged him playfully.  
"So Sarge, what's the plan?" she asked.  
"Eliminate Blue Team," Jon responded.  
"Any particular manoeuvres?" Clary asked.  
Jon grinned at her.  
"That is information given only to people with the proper clearance," he said to her.  
Clary groaned and rolled her eyes.  
"What's the proper clearance?" she asked.  
"That information is only given out on a need to know basis," Jon responded, a stupid grin on his face.  
This was one of his favourite parts of being 'Sarge', being an annoying ass-wipe.  
"Do I need to know?" she asked him.  
"That is top secret information," Jon laughed.  
Clary just muttered something very unflattering.

The air horn blared just as Clary reached their destination and she turned to Jon in excitement.  
"Okay, Donut and Lopez, you guys take the north side. Simmons and I will take the south, in a claw formation. Grif, you go straight down the guts as a diversion," Jon ordered.  
"That's a suicide mission!" Sebastian protested.  
Jon just shrugged.  
"You suck," Sebastian grumbled but hefted his laser gun up anyway.  
They all separated and began running towards the Blue team.

Clary and Magnus sprinted until they reached the gardens just before the courtyard, which was the middle ground for their game.  
"You got my back, Lopez?" Clary hissed quietly.  
Magnus chuckled lightly.  
"You're taking this extremely seriously, just like Jon," he commented.  
Clary gave him an offhand look.  
"Of course, I wanna win," she responded.  
She ducked behind a hedge as she heard shoes slapping on the ground ahead of her. Magnus had ducked on the other side of the hedge and Clary carefully peeled the leaves back to get a view of the other team.

It was Isabelle and Simon, they were creeping together, ducking behind trees and dodging benches. Except Simon looked like he was focusing more on the girl in front of him than anything else. Clary noticed her opportunity and she grabbed Magnus' attention. She pointed down at the pair and mimed him throwing a rock and the pair going investigate. She then indicated that's when they would shoot. Magnus nodded and grabbed a handful of little pebbles. Clary watched the pair intently and at the right moment nodded at Magnus to throw.

The pebbles clattered along the ground and Clary watched as Simon and Isabelle whipped around and ducked behind a pole. She saw their heads peek out and quickly ducked back as their eyes scoured the area. She counted to three slowly before looking back out and saw Isabelle and Simon hesitantly creep out. Clary tensed up, getting ready to jump up and shoot them, she waited until they had clearly left the safety of shelter and began to line up her shot like a sniper. Magnus followed her actions and just as they leaned down to look at the rocks, they fired. A loud, electronic beeping started screaming and both Isabelle and Simon jumped as their vests began flashing. Clary grinned at Magnus and they air high-fived.  
"You suck!" Isabelle shouted out into nowhere as she huffed and began walking back to their base.

Out of nowhere Clary and Magnus's vests began screaming and flashing bright red at them. Clary stood up and spun around in shock, only to be met with the smirking face of her boyfriend. He blew her a kiss and she narrowed her eyes playfully at him.  
"Oh, it's _on_. Like Donkey Kong," she growled at him.  
"I'll take my chances, my strawberry glazed _Donut_ ," he teased.  
She growled to herself and began walking past him, but he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her into him. She felt her heart race as her skin burned under his hands. She looked up at him and he looked down at her. A blush rose to her cheeks as she realised just how good he looked with that devilish smirk on his face and his hair falling over his eyes. He leaned down carefully and just lightly pecked her mouth before bringing his mouth over to her ear.  
" _All's fair in love and war_ ," he told her.  
She pulled back from him and nodded thoughtfully.  
"I'll remember that."

They were in the last two minutes of their last game. It was a free-for-all and Clary was running hard from Sebastian who was determined to catch up and kill her. She ducked around a corner and ran bang smack into someone. His familiar smell washed over her and she grinned sheepishly. He narrowed his eyes playfully at her and levelled his gun at her.  
"It's not me you want," she told him.  
He raised an eyebrow at her as she raised her hands in a surrender pose. Seconds later Sebastian ran around the corner and before he could even comprehend what was happening and who was in front of him; his vest screamed at him.  
"Damn it! You traitor, Donut!" Sebastian grumbled at her.  
Clary laughed as Jace smirked.  
"That was all me, Grif," Jace laughed.  
Sebastian swore at them and trudged off. Jace lowered his eyes to her bright green eyes and they crinkled up into a grin.  
"Thanks for killing Grif for me," she said.  
"No problem, Donut," he responded.  
Clary smiled up at him and stepped closer, she pointed her gun away from him as he eyed it off. His eyes then flickered back to hers and she angled her head ever so slightly. His eyes smouldered as she looked up under her lashes at him. Her lips twitched into a slight smirk and he narrowed his eyes at her. One hand reached out and firmly held her gun away from him as he closed the distance between them.

His lips crashed hard down on hers and she could hardly keep the moan down. Her free hand reached up and pressed hard on the back of his head, pulling him closer. She leaned into him and let him envelop her in his embrace. One hand sneaked around her waist and held her close as his other hand left her gun to hold her face. Their kiss deepened as her tongue reached out, asking for entrance. He growled into her mouth while his hand gripped onto her hip. It was time for her to execute her master plan.

As they kissed, Clary very slowly and carefully manoeuvred her gun until it was facing him and pulled the trigger. His eyes shot open and he pulled back as his vest screamed and flashed at him. Clary had a massive smirk on her lips and he could hardly believe what she had done when the air horn blared and their vests powered off.  
" _All's fair in love and war_ ," she mocked him, mischievously.  
He shook his head at her and laughed dryly.  
"Apparently I underestimated my own girlfriend."  
Clary smirked.  
"And you won't make that mistake again, will you?" she teased, patting the side of his face.  
He growled and slung his arm around her waist as they walked back to return their gear.

Hours later and everyone had turned up to Isabelle and Alec's place for Simon's party. As Clary walked in, she was amazed at how Isabelle transformed the ground floor of her house into a nerd-themed cool party place. Simon's favourite songs pounded through the stereo as people with all different sci-fi costumes walked in. Clary grinned as she noticed Isabelle dressed as Princess Leia and shook her head-Simon was going to go ballistic at the sight of her. Clary had decided to turn up as Black Widow and she was waiting for her Captain America to show up when The Joker stopped beside her.

"Cool party, huh?" he commented.  
She looked up at him and smiled, happy he was reaching out.  
"Yeah, Simon's going to be ecstatic," she commented.  
Her brother nodded and looked out amongst their peers.  
"You, uh… Jace coming?" he asked her.  
She eyed him off carefully and nodded slowly.  
"Yeah, he's coming as Captain America," she said warily.  
She saw his face twitch and his lips press together but he didn't say anything for which she was immensely grateful. Suddenly his arms were around her and she was bundled up in a big, bear hug.  
"You know I love you, Clare. I only ever… I just want what's best for you. I want you to be happy. And… if… If… If Herondale is it then… then… I'll just deal," he grumbled out.  
Clary's arms tightened around her brother as she felt a weight float off her chest.  
"I love you Jon! I promise that he makes me happy and he treats me well. Better than anyone else has before. Not that I have much experience, but… he's good Jon. I promise," she murmured to him.  
She let go of him and smiled brightly and Jon gave her a weak one back.  
She then smirked and giggled at him.  
"Why so serious?" she quipped.  
Jon groaned and rolled his eyes, it was at this point that Clary's Captain America appeared by her side.

"Hey," he greeted her softly.  
She beamed up at him and lightly pressed her lips to his in return.  
"Hey," she said, joy filtering through her voice.  
"Hey, Jon," Jace said warily.  
The other boy narrowed his eyes at him before he shuffled uncomfortably.  
"Hello Jace," he responded neutrally.  
Jace raised an eyebrow at Clary and she beamed at him.  
"I… just wanted to say… You… have my blessing," Jon forced out.  
Jace's eyebrows shot sky high and he was speechless as Clary grinned up at him.  
"But… you hurt her in _any_ way and I will hurt you ten times worse. You'll be the one telling stories on how you got your scars," Jon threatened, his eyes darkening.  
Jace nodded quickly.  
"Of course. That's cool. I just… Thanks," Jace stuttered out.  
Jon nodded shortly and then turned on his heel, not looking back. Clary knew he wasn't really okay with them, but the fact he was trying was enough for her.

"That was… unexpected," Jace commented.  
Clary nodded in agreement.  
"It was, but I'm so glad he's coming around. I told you he would," she agreed.  
Jace chuckled and eased an arm around her waist, pulling her into him.  
"Must be your superior spy skills," he mumbled against her lips.  
Clary's giggles were lost in their kiss.  
"Don't you forget it!" she laughed as they pulled away.  
Jace's mouth quirked at one side and he couldn't stop himself from pressing another kiss to her forehead.  
"C'mon, we'd best enjoy Simon's party," Clary said, pulling him into the party.


	34. Chapter 34

**Another chapter... Within a day! :O  
Much love for the two reviewers who remind me to keep writing! Thank you xTheMorningStarx and ReadingManiac!**

* * *

The months passed quickly; filled up with kisses in the hallways, parties at the Lightwood's and school work. Almost before Clary knew it, she and Jace were celebrating their six-month anniversary. To her sounded silly, celebrating something that sounded so trivial. It was honestly just six months down the track from when Jace had his big breakdown but it was more special to her; it was the day Jace had let her in. _That,_ she had decided, was something worth celebrating.

"Hey, whatcha thinking about?"  
A low voice invaded her mind and Clary looked over to see Jace's attentive gold eyes fixed on her. She smiled and shook her head.  
"Nothing in particular. How about you?" she asked.  
They were celebrating with a movie day at his place. They had pulled out a mattress and an armada of pillows and blankets. All the windows were blacked out so they wouldn't be disturbed by any light and they had bowls of candy and popcorn. The pair were snuggled together as a Marvel movie played in the background.  
"Just how much I'm glad you're here," he mumbled, shuffling closer and pressing his lips to her temple.  
Clary felt a blush storm through her cheeks and she smiled up at him.  
"I'm so glad I'm here too. I'm glad you let me in," she whispered softly.  
He smiled down at her.  
"Me too, you have made my life infinitely better," he admitted.

Jace saw the entire room brighten up with the shy smile she gave him. He wanted to tell her what he was thinking but he didn't know how. Even the thought scared him but he didn't know how else to explain how he felt. He didn't know how else to explain the rush of feelings she gave him. The way he felt completely at ease with her. He hadn't completely opened up to her—but he wanted to. He wanted to share his thoughts the way she did with such ease. He was beginning to think that he… that he loved her. He thought that it was impossible for him to feel this way for someone again. He thought he had guarded himself well enough to never feel this way again but he also knew that he was fighting a losing battle from the moment her green eyes caught his.

"Clary… I..." he stuttered.  
Clary noticed that he was trying to say something important and paused the movie, giving him her full attention.  
"Clary… you are… different. You are… amazing and I—I never thought…" Jace stuttered before frowning and changing tack. "When I started here at our school, I said I wouldn't care. That I didn't care. That it was impossible for me to care, after everything."  
Clary felt her heart clamouring in her throat as she began to get a hint of what he was trying to say. Unbeknownst to her, a smile was slowly growing over her face and her eyes were shining bright with hope.  
"Clary. You are the exception. Always. You are _my_ exception. And… I—I…"  
Clary studied him carefully, desperately wanting to hear the words fall from his mouth. She could see the internal battle in his eyes, the fear fighting for the control it had had for years over his heart.  
"I think… I think I'm… f-fall…" Jace stuttered out. "I think I lo—"

He was cut off by his doorbell ringing and Clary nearly screamed in frustration as Jace's attention focused on the door.  
"I'll get that. It's probably the Chinese we ordered," Clary offered.  
Jace nodded mutely. He wondered if this was a sign, a sign that maybe he shouldn't tell her how he felt. Clary could see his shoulders deflate and she wanted to cry from disappointment. She didn't expect him to fall in love with her but… she had hoped he felt the same way about her and now it seemed like he wasn't even thinking along those lines any more. She sighed and grabbed her purse, already flicking through her money as she opened the door.  
"How much do we owe you?" she asked, not looking up.  
"Excuse me?"  
Clary's head snapped up in confusion and then her whole face went blank. The man standing in front of her did not have any Chinese food and he was strangely familiar. She knew that jawline and those cheekbones. Her blood ran cold and her mouth dropped open as she realised she was standing in front of Jace's absentee, cruel father. The same father that told Jace that he would destroy everyone he ever loved after snapping his pets neck.

Jace immediately turned as he heard a light thump behind him. He stood up from the mattress and saw Clary staring at someone through the doorway and her purse on the floor. He assumed that was the thump he had heard.  
"Clare?" he asked, confused.  
She turned to him and he could see the shock that had sent her speechless mirrored in her eyes.  
"Are you okay?" he asked, stepping closer.  
He drew himself up protectively and peered through the doorway. He felt the blood rush through his ears as his eyes met the cold blue ones of his father.  
"Jonathan. Are you going to let me in?" he asked in a disinterested tone.  
Jace nodded numbly and his father walked in for the first time in at least ten months.

"D-Dad?" he asked.  
"Yes, Jonathan?" he answered with a raised eyebrow.  
"Wh—what are you doing here?" Jace asked lamely.  
There were so many other questions he wanted to ask, so many answers he wanted; just like any other time he returned after being gone for months at a time, but he knew better than to ask.  
"I had business in the area and I wanted to check up on my only son," Stephen answered curtly.  
Jace felt an irrational surge of both longing and anger. He bit his tongue as the anger surfaced quicker. He wished his father's answer was as true as he wanted it to be. He wished his father stopped by more than once or twice a year when he was 'in town'. Jace wished his father deemed him more important so that he wanted to visit instead of just being convenient. Deep down, Jace knew only one thing, one thing that he would never admit; he wished his father loved him.

"Jonathan?"  
"Yes, Dad?" Jace answered warily.  
"Are you going to introduce me to this lovely lady that greeted me with money at the door?" Stephen asked with an underlying tone of condescension.  
Jace felt a frown come between his brows and he sneaked a look at Clary who was beet red with embarrassment.  
"Dad, this is Clary Morgenstern. Clary, this is my Dad, Stephen Herondale," Jace said robotically.  
He was still shell shocked at seeing his father right here before him.  
"Lovely to meet you," Clary said politely, holding her hand out awkwardly for a handshake, like her father taught her.  
Stephen raised an eyebrow at the hand and hesitated to take it. Clary got the impression he didn't want anything to do with her and began to pull her hand away. Stephen seemed to come to his senses at the movement and took her hand in his, giving her a firm handshake. It was borderline too strong in her opinion but she said nothing, choosing to remain by Jace's side.  
"Morgenstern, hmm? Pleased I'm sure," Stephen told her.  
Clary's eyes flickered to Jace's not knowing whether he was making fun of her or not. Jace had a frown on his face so she assumed the former.  
"Dad, Clary is my girlfriend," Jace said, his voice coming across stronger, firmer.  
She felt the lightest touch of a smile come to her lips and she lightly twisted her fingers in through his. She was shocked to find that his hand had a tremor. She had clearly underestimated how much of an effect Stephen had on his son. Her eyes studied him with worry but Jace took no notice.  
"Hmm, and just how did Clary _Morgenstern_ tie down my son?"  
Clary did not like the blatant condescension in his voice and felt like she was repeating that dinner with Sebastian's family. Jace however was angry. He was furious that his father walked in unannounced and then proceeded to judge the only person he found himself caring about. How _dare_ he feel like he had _any_ right to pass judgement on his girlfriend!  
"I chose to be with her Stephen, and you can either accept that or leave, thank you. This is still _my_ house," Jace told him firmly.  
Clary felt her heart swell at his defence of her and she squeezed his hand tighter.  
"Jonathan! I thought you were brought up with more _respect_ than that. What would your mother say?!" Stephen reprimanded him.  
Jace felt like he was being slapped in the face and his shoulders slumped. His mother would be appalled at the anger that was clouding his mind and with the tone he had just taken with his father. The defiance left him in a rush as his mother's scolding eyes looked at him in his mind.  
"Sorry, Dad," he murmured.  
Clary felt an odd feeling of unease settle in her stomach. She knew Jace's mother was a touchy subject and she didn't like the way Stephen used it as a weapon.  
"Thank you," Stephen said in an unforgiving tone. "Now I am going to go upstairs and have a shower. I'll be down later."  
With that and barely a cursory glance at Clary, he left.

Jace heaved out a long, frustrated breath and muttered a string of curses under his breath.  
"Wow. No wonder you have daddy issues," Clary commented, trying to make light of the situation.  
Jace gave a humourless chuckle and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his forehead on hers, trying to gain the comfort he needed after that confrontation.  
"I'm sorry our anniversary hasn't exactly gone to plan."  
His golden eyes burned with unspoken regrets and apologies. Clary understood and lightly pushed his hair out of his eyes.  
"It's okay, everyone knows the big anniversaries are at the yearly mark," she said teasingly. "And I expect diamonds."  
Jace gave a small but genuine laugh and Clary immediately felt better. A smile grew on her face and she gave him a soft kiss, reminding him she was still here for him.  
"I do think I'm gonna take off though," she admitted to him.  
His laugh died off slightly and Clary felt guilt swarm through her stomach as his shoulders drooped slightly.  
"I figured. He has a habit of ruining things."  
"Don't you worry, he won't ruin us," Clary promised him.  
Jace gave her a weak smile.  
"I hope not."  
"He won't."  
Jace studied her carefully, her voice had come out strong and confident and her eyes blazed with assurance. He felt some of his unease settle and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.  
"Good," he murmured.  
He pulled her in for a last, searing kiss and he wanted to tell her. He wanted her to know but… he couldn't. Not now, not with his father around. At the thought of his father a deep hole opened up inside him and he pulled away from her. Clary stumbled slightly from the sudden loss of contact and she stared at him in surprise.  
"You okay?" she asked, concerned.  
"Yeah, I'm good. I'll see you on Monday, at school," he assured her.  
Clary nodded slowly and pecked his cheek.  
"Okay. I'll see you on Monday."  
Jace nodded and let her go. She gathered her things up and opened the door before stopping and turning to face him again. There was a small smile on her face and her green eyes were glowing.  
"Happy anniversary, Jace."


	35. Chapter 35

**Hi guys! I'm baaack! With another chapter! Yaaaay! Now I don't really have anything to say except thank you to everyone for reviewing and welcome to the newcomers! Thanks for all your support guys, it honestly keeps me writing.**

 **Shoutouts to *drum roll*: xTheMorningStarx, ReadingManiac, LOVERGIRL, .dream30, jsmith84, ClaceLover246!**

 **Hope you all enjoy the chapter!** **  
**

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It was early Monday morning Jace was up but still lying in bed and he could hear his father walking around the house. It made him feel uneasy; he felt like he was prying, invading his safe space and it made his defences all rise and he could feel a current of anger and violence under his skin and he hated it. His father always brought this reaction out in him and it was rarely ever pretty and now he had to hide it, he could not let Clary see him this way. She was hot-tempered herself so it would be like throwing a match on gasoline. He growled in frustration and rolled out of bed, pulling on a pair of track pants and a loose singlet. He pulled on a pair of runners and he quickly left the apartment, not saying a word to his father. The moment his feet touched the pavement outside he was off and running.

The streets weren't crowded and he managed to dodge through the early morning traffic with ease. The thump of his feet on the pavement beat in time with his heartbeat and it kept him at one pace. The impact of each foot fall was jarring his knees and bones and he felt like he was pressing himself too hard but it felt too good, he felt each jolt of pain stabbed into his anger and slowly it bled away. The early morning wind stung his face and caused his eyes to water slightly as it burned his lungs. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, chest and back and by the time he entered Central Park he had noticeable damp patches on his singlet.

He turned onto an unfamiliar jogging path and immediately a body crashed into him. The impact was hard and heavy with the force of a running body. Jace was thrown back to the ground and he dimly heard an 'oof' from in front of him. Immediately he felt his barely suppressed anger rage forwards and he leapt up.  
"You freaking idiot! Watch where you're goddamn going!" he shouted, his rage rearing its ugly head and making him see red.  
Green eyes met his and immediately he felt his rage wash away leaving only embarrassment and shame.  
"Wow, someone clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Clary commented.  
She sat up and brushed herself off as Jace looked down in shame.  
"I'm so sorry," he mumbled regretfully.  
Clary took in his appearance and her eyes narrowed slightly. She could see frown lines on his forehead and his shoulders looked tight like he was ready to attack or flee at any second.  
"It's okay. Are _you_ okay?" she asked him.  
 _No,_ was his immediate thought, but he couldn't say that. He had to be okay, he couldn't be that weak little boy he once was.  
"Yeah, I'm good. I didn't know you ran," he answered, changing the topic abruptly.  
Clary knew he was avoiding the topic but she decided not to press it. He may not be ready but she thought maybe he was just adjusting to having his father in town.  
"I run every morning. It helps me start the day and if I'm upset it helps me cope," Clary confessed.  
She was surprised to find that she felt a little uncomfortable sharing that tidbit, not many people knew she ran. Even Jace was only just finding out now.  
Jace blinked in surprise and took a look back at his girlfriend. A few more things made sense to him now, the way she could run the length of the school several times over without breaking a sweat. How she did well in all their track portions of Gym. How she stayed so little while eating the way she did.  
Clary gave Jace a somewhat awkward smile and shrugged.  
"D'you wanna join me?" she asked quietly. "We don't have to talk."  
Jace felt a smile stretch across his face and he nodded.  
"Yes, please."

The pair took off and began to run in the direction Clary had been running in. Neither spoke, simply enjoying the sound of their heart beats with their foot falls. Jace felt some of his stress ease out of his body and he felt… closer to Clary. Running wasn't something he did often but he liked doing it with her. She made it easy. She didn't ask questions, she didn't pry, she was letting him be—which he appreciated. By the time the sun had fully risen the pair had slowed from a run to a jog. They came across a small pond and Clary grabbed his arm to stop.  
"I always stop here, I like to stop and watch the ducks," Clary told him.  
"No," Jace growled.  
She stared at him, taken aback.  
"Never trust a duck. They are bloodthirsty little beasts," he informed her.  
Clary stared at him perplexed.  
"What?"  
"They're cannibalistic. And they will eat you."  
Clary wondered if there was a screw loose somewhere in his brain as she focused back on the quacking ducks swimming peacefully over the water.  
"Jace, they're more scared of you than you are of them," she told him gently.  
He glared at her.  
"I am not _afraid_ of ducks, I just don't like them," he told her. "I don't trust those beady little eyes."  
"Oh c'mon. I'll show you," she said and before he could stop her she was marching off to the edge of the water.

Jace hesitated before running after her. The quacking got louder and he could feel his heart rate increase.  
Clary was basically at the water's edge when her scream cut through the air and a splash followed soon after. Clary was gone.  
Jace felt the blood rush from his face and he sprinted the last few metres left.  
"Clary?! _Clary?!_ "

As he reached the edge her red head popped through the water and Clary jumped back in the water overdramatically.  
"The ducks! The ducks did it! They tried to drown me! Evil, _evil_ ducks!" she cried out.  
Jace got the distinct feeling she was mocking him and he fixed an unimpressed look on his face as he crossed his arms. Clary giggled at him and he raised an eyebrow.  
"It was the ducks. They told me to," she laughed.  
Jace blinked slowly and then turned away from her, ignoring her protests.  
He had successfully ignored her for at least 5 minutes until she jumped on his back and wrapped her legs around his waist.  
"What are you doing?" he asked her.  
"Piggyback ride!" she cried out in delight.  
Jace rolled his eyes but he could feel the smile on his face as he looped his arms under her knees.

Around 8am he stumbled back into his place, with a smile and a lingering hint of Clary's lip balm on his lips. He had completely forgotten why he had even gone out.  
"Where have you been?"  
His father's voice brought him back with a jolt and his smile melted away.  
"Out," he responded curtly.  
He pushed his sweaty hair away from his eyes and glared at his father, feeling the tension rise back in his body. His father's blue eyes stared back impassively.  
"With _Clary_?" he asked.  
Jace's eyes narrowed, he had no idea what his father's big deal was about Clary. Sure, he supposed his father thought he was going to kill her in some way but he seemed to really dislike the idea of her. Which was unusual.  
"Running," Jace corrected.  
He looked surprised at that and then pleased.  
"Good, running is good for your health. When did you take up running?" he asked.  
Jace was surprised by his response and immediately suspicious.  
"Recently."  
His father nodded and turned away abruptly. That was an unusual turn of events but Jace decided not to dwell on it and turned away to get ready for school.

"Jonathan! Time to go!"  
Jace frowned in confusion and checked the time. He had to get to school, where on Earth did his father think he was taking Jace?  
"Dad?" Jace called out.  
"Come on! You're going to be late and Herondales are never tardy!" his father snapped back.  
Jace lightly jogged down his stairs with his bag and gave his father a stoic look.  
"I have school. I can't go to wherever you want to take me," he said firmly.  
His father turned and gave him a big smile which looked forced and uncomfortable.  
"I know. I'm taking you to school and I will pick you up at three o'clock, sharp," he said.  
Jace blinked in surprise and then shook his head.  
"I've been going to school on my own for years, Stephen. I'll take myself," Jace snapped.  
"I am your _father_ and you will address me as such!" his father growled.  
Jace just rolled his eyes and snatched his keys off the table and walked out the door.  
" _Jonathan!"_

Jace's stomach growled as he pulled through a McDonalds drive through for breakfast. He ordered for himself and then ordered a strawberry thickshake for Clary, knowing how much she loved them. As he pulled out he began to mull over his father's weird behaviour. It was very uncharacteristic of him to show any interest in him, every other time he had been over for business or to 'check on him', he had either holed himself up in his room or had made himself scarce. Jace found himself wondering what on Earth he could want off his son.

"So, you and Jace are pretty serious," Alec commented to Clary as they walked into school together.  
Clary nodded and gave Alec a big smile.  
"Yeah, we just celebrated six months together," Clary told him.  
"Do you think we're looking at the next Prom King and Queen?" Alec teased.  
She snorted unflatteringly.  
"No. Undoubtedly it will be Sebastian and Kaelie," she said.  
Alec nodded and then smiled.  
"Maybe."  
She looked up at him quizzically but shook it off. They separated to go to their lockers and just as she opened hers Jace turned up.

"Hey," he called out to her.  
"Hey Jace," she responded, digging deep into her locker to pull out her art book. "You ready for another day of school?"  
"Not at all," he grumbled.  
She emerged to see him leaning on his closed locker with a McDonalds thickshake. The faint smell of strawberries wafted over and she perked right up.  
"Is that?"  
"Yes."  
"For _me_?"  
"Yes."  
Clary squealed in delight and quickly snatched the thickshake and eagerly began drinking it.  
"Clary! You'll get a brain—"  
Jace was cut off by Clary groaning and clutching her head.  
"—freeze."  
Clary looked up at him and he shook his head, amused.  
"Ow."  
Jace just laughed. He felt the tension leave him a bit as she slurped down the rest of her thickshake. Being around Clary made him relax slightly and slowly his father drifted off his mind and he just focused on Clary and school.


	36. Chapter 36

**Ooooh... It's starting to go down now...**

 **Thanks, love and rainbows go to my lovely reviewers: taught . to. dream30, xTheMorningStarx, Unicorns268, LOVERGIRL, ReadingManiac and DarkSunshineKnight! Every time I see my reviewed notification it makes me so happy I feel like I could fly and I just really want to say thank you, your reviews always make my day and make me smile, even if I'm having a terrible day, week or month. So honestly, from the top of my heart, thank you.**

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Jace's father was practically steaming when Jace walked in through the door.  
"Jonathan."  
Jace looked up surprised to see his father still in his apartment.

"Dad?" he asked hesitantly.  
His father stood up from the couch he had been sitting on and turned to face him. His blue eyes were blazing with an ice cold fury and Jace could see the anger in his father's body.  
"We need to have a serious talk, young man," his father snapped at him.  
Jace blinked and dropped his bag by the door next to his shoes.  
"What about?" Jace asked.  
"Your _attitude!_ _Never_ have you _ever_ behaved in such a manner as you did this morning! You were rude and disrespectful and I can't believe a young man that _I_ have raised has behaved in such a way! And I am _certain_ it is because of that _Morgenstern_ girl, isn't it?!"  
Jace felt his blood boil in his ears and he narrowed his eyes at his father.  
"Don't you _dare_ bring her into this! Did you consider that my 'behaviour' is because you _haven't_ actually raised me? You _disowned_ me! Years ago!" he shouted back, his golden eyes burning into his father's.  
His father stared at him in shock. Even Jace was surprised, normally he just gritted his teeth and bore the brunt of any snide remarks.  
"This is exactly what I'm talking about, Jonathan—"  
"My goddamn name is Jace! JA—CE!" Jace yelled and slammed his fists down on the counter.  
"Jonathan is the name on your birth certificate, and Jonathan is all you will ever be. I will not be party to this 'Jace' nonsense. Now I would like you to sit down, be quiet and _listen_ to what I have to say," his father growled.  
"And what about what _I_ have to say? Why is anything _I_ say less important than the stuff _you_ have to say?!" Jace demanded.  
" _Because I am dying!"_ his father roared.

Jace felt all the blood rush from his face and his mouth dropped. His father sighed tensely and flopped back on the couch with his head in his hands.  
"You're… _dying_?"  
"Yes Jonathan," his father responded, sounding quiet and defeated.  
Jace blinked and took a step back, away from him. How many times had he wished something like this upon him? How many times had he said he hated his father and wished he had been forever out of his life? And now… Jace didn't know what to think. He felt the panic rising in his body, shortening his breath and making him feel lightheaded. He shook his head and then immediately turned tail and ran back out the door.

He ran down onto the street and just started sprinting. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe. He just ran, letting his feet take him. He sprinted across cross walks, dodged past people and leapt over benches. The sweat poured out from every pore on his body and his breath heaved in and out. He just had to keep moving, he couldn't stop. He couldn't. If he stopped he would have to think; he would have to deal with the news and he didn't know how. He didn't know what to think, and he couldn't be alone. Not with this, he needed Clary. He needed her now more than ever.

Jace ran until he collapsed against Clary's door. He landed on his knees with a thud on her porch, his legs trembling like jelly and his lungs gasping and heaving. He rolled over to sit against her door and his head fell back with a loud _bang!_ He could feel the thoughts start to creep in and he dug his hands into his hair and fisted it, pulling on the golden curls trying to use the pain to keep him focused. He faintly heard light footsteps coming to the door and he barely managed to make it to his feet before the door opened.

Jace's eyes met familiar green ones but they weren't Clary's. This woman was older, but a spitting image of his Clary and it shocked him into silence.  
"Hello? Can I help you?" she asked him.  
"H-Hello. Is Clary in?" he stuttered out.  
Her green eyes took in his dishevelled appearance and nodded.  
"Whom should I tell her is here?" she asked.  
"Jace. I-I'm Jace," he told her.  
Her eyes widened slightly and a smile spread over her face.  
"So you're the infamous Jace! I was wondering when we would meet! I'm Jocelyn, Clary's mother," she introduced, ushering him inside.  
Jace gave her a weak smile as he stepped through and his eyes scoured for any sign of his favourite redhead.  
"Thank you, Jocelyn," he responded weakly.  
Jocelyn gave him a concerned once over.  
"Are you okay? Would you like something to drink?" she asked in a motherly way.  
Jace felt a wave of longing for his own mother and he tried to push it away as he nodded in response to her answer.  
"Some water would be fantastic, please," he answered.  
Jocelyn nodded and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"Clary, honey! You have a visitor!" she called out.  
"Coming, Mom!"  
Jace sighed in relief as he heard Clary's voice come from upstairs. Jocelyn came out with the water for him as Clary trotted down the stairs to meet him.  
"Jace? What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.  
"I-I…"  
He couldn't answer, he could feel his panic starting to come back and Clary's eyes widened as she realised he was well on his way to another panic attack.  
"Mom, we're going upstairs. We can do introductions later, please," she said and took Jace's hand.  
It felt sweaty and clammy in hers and she could feel his heartbeat racing. Jocelyn could evidently tell they needed some alone time and so she nodded.  
"I'll be in my studio, yell if you need anything," she assured her and left the teens.

Clary dragged Jace up the stairs, into her bedroom and closed the door, locking it. The moment it shut Jace felt his whole face crumple up and he tried to control and compose himself but one look into Clary's worried green eyes and everything in him just shattered. He felt hot liquid rising in his eyes, it was burning him and making it impossible for him to see. A boulder had settled in his throat and he couldn't speak.  
"Cl-Cl-Clary..."  
He was ashamed of the whimper that rose from his throat and he hung his head, trying to hide away.  
"Jace… Oh, Jace…" Clary murmured and wrapped her arms around him.  
Jace buried his face into her wild hair and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as close and as tightly as he could. He needed her, she couldn't leave him too. Her arms were comforting and warm around his and he felt… safe. At that realisation, something in him snapped and he was crying.

Clary's heart broke as she heard his agonised sobs in her hair. Tears welled up in her own eyes from the amount of _pain_ he was expressing. Each sob shook his whole body and expressed just how much pain he was feeling. The crack and high pitched whimper made it sound like his heart was breaking and his soul was falling apart. She had never heard anyone cry like that before and her own tears began to fall over her cheeks. She held on a bit tighter onto him and just hoped he would be okay. He was scaring her a little; she didn't know what had happened or what to even think about Jace turning up on her doorstep looking like he was about to fall apart.

Jace held onto her until his sobs subsided into little cries and he pulled away, too worn out to even be embarrassed at his pathetic display. Clary's face tilted up to his and he frowned when he saw tears slowly dripping down her face.  
"Hey…" he soothed automatically and wiped her cheeks free of any remaining tears.  
"Jace, they're not mine. I… I'm crying because you're in so much pain…" she whispered.  
She gave him a slightly sheepish smile and Jace felt guilt swirl in his gut along with another emotion. _Love._ He barely dared to even think it even though he knew that's how he felt.  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry… I'm _so_ _fucking sorry_ ," he whispered.  
"Shhh. I don't want to hear it," Clary told him gently but firmly.  
Jace sighed and pulled her back in for another hug. Their arms were more relaxed around each other now and she nestled her head flat against his chest.

"What happened?" she asked him quietly after a moment of silence between them.  
Jace shook his head. He didn't want to think about it. He couldn't think about it. Clary looked up at him and he met her worried eyes. The sincerity in her eyes were imploring deep and he didn't want to delve into that so he leaned down and kissed her instead. He had only intended for it to be a sweet and simple kiss to distract her but when her lips responded to his it was like everything went out the door and he pressed harder against her. He brought both hands up to cup her jawline and her hands clenched the back of his shirt.  
Her lips were salty from the remnants of tears that had soaked into her skin as he begged her for entrance. He bit into her lower lip and sucked on it gently, drawing a soft, fluttery moan from her mouth. He growled from the sound and let go of her face. Never breaking their connection he bent down and grabbed her upper thighs, pulling at them and lifting her so she could wrap her legs around his waist.  
Clary whimpered into Jace's mouth as her legs locked around his waist. He felt warm and strong and she felt safe as one arm snaked around her back. She felt his muscles ripple as he moved and she noticed as he carefully eased onto the bed, still holding her. She dragged her lips away from his to say something but all rational thoughts flew out the window as he sucked on a certain spot below her ears. She was embarrassed by the whiny, pleading sound her throat made as he did. Her nails automatically curled and dug into his back and she arched into him. Clary bit her lip to hold back any more noises as he trailed a series of kisses and nibbles down her jawline and her neck to her collarbones. He leaned them over and she felt her back touch her duvet as his hair fell over his face.  
His lips began to dip lower and one of his hands began to inch up over her stomach and Clary realised that this was going a lot faster and further than any other time and she gently pushed on his shoulders.

"J-Jace," she whispered, her voice sounding breathless.  
He pulled his hand away from her and pulled his lips away but kept his face tucked into her neck, waiting for what she wanted to say. He could feel her racing pulse beat in time with his own and it made him feel a bit better to know she was as affected by him as he was by her.  
"Clary?" he whispered, prompting her.  
"I—I… we can't," she murmured, trying to settle her breathing and pull her head back together from the haze she was in.  
Jace just hummed against her skin and lightly pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. Clary's self control wavered slightly and for a second she allowed her mind to fantasise over what could happen before she took a deep breath and tucked her fantasy away.  
"Jace, no," she said in a firmer voice.  
Jace took a deep breath and nodded, falling next to her. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the hurt coursing through his body.  
"I—I just… After… Raphael. I want it to be better, special. I—I'm sorry," Clary whispered, feeling slightly ashamed.  
Jace opened his eyes and quickly studied Clary. Guilt flooded through his system when he saw her defeated look and he pulled Clary in for a hug. He felt horrible for making Clary feel bad and for making her feel like she had to apologise for not being ready. He felt shame for being so damn selfish, thinking only of himself and not her in this situation. She deserved more, she deserved better.  
"No, Clary, don't. Don't apologise. I'm sorry for pushing so hard. I don't know what came over me but, if I'm _ever_ pushing you, at all, _ever,_ you tell me and I will stop. Always," he assured her firmly.  
Clary nodded and looked down awkwardly. Jace's fingers reached up and lightly pushed a few strands of her unruly hair away from her face and she looked down to see the sincerity in his eyes.  
"I know I'm a prude and you're… you're used to having fun and I—"  
Jace sat up and frowned at her.  
"Yes, I am used to having _flings_ with girls. But don't you dare think for one second that _I_ think you're a prude and that I am unhappy with you. I don't need sex to be happy. _You_ are what makes me happy. You have made me more happy in six months than all of those flings ever have—combined," he tried to make her understand.  
He saw a small smile flicker at the corner of her lips and he felt his own grow slightly. He leant in close to her ear and whispered,  
"Just a little bit more and you're giving me my favourite thing in the world; your smile."  
Jace's words had their desired effect as a blush coloured her cheeks and her lips turned up into her signature smile.  
"You're such a dork," Clary laughed, her voice sounding light and happy again.  
Jace smiled at her and nodded in agreement. He was a bit but anything was worth it to see her smile. Clary's teeth peeked out lightly before she pressed her lips together firmly and gave him a hesitant look.  
"You can't distract me though, Jace. You know I'm going to ask…"  
Jace sighed and away from her his own smile dropping.

"What happened?" she asked again.  
Jace looked down and sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from her. Jace took in a deep shuddering breath and heaved it out.  
"He's dying," he whispered.  
Clary pulled back and looked up at him with big, horror-struck eyes.  
"What?" she whispered.  
"My father. He's dying," Jace whispered, feeling the lump rise again.  
He felt Clary sit next to him and she took his hand in hers.  
"I'm so sorry to hear that," she whispered.  
Jace just shrugged before sadness and anger converged inside and he couldn't help his resulting tone.  
"Just one less person I don't have to worry about destroying anymore," he spat bitterly.  
Clary took his face in her hands and made him look at her. She wanted to cry when she saw the misery in his golden eyes. She could see that despite them, despite her best efforts he still believed that he was cursed.  
"Listen to me. This is not your fault. This is not whatever curse you think it is. This is just a shitty fact of life. People die and there's no point being a masochist over it. It fucking sucks, I know it does… and I know you feel like it's your fault but you are not so important that some big person up there is following you around and wasting every person you care about," Clary told him firmly.  
Jace felt his heart stop for a moment as he thought over her words. She may not believe in it but he did and that was enough. He loved her, he knew he did, and that meant she was the next target. No one was safe from him; if his father—the person he cared about least—could be struck down, then so would she—the person he cared about the most.

"Jace?" Clary whispered.  
She could see the cogs in his brain turning and she was worried at the outcome. She had been rather firm and forthcoming in her own beliefs but she was scared she'd pushed him too far and said the wrong thing.  
He swallowed hard and shook his head, feeling the bleakness that was his life weigh down his shoulders.  
"There's too much to be coincidence," he murmured.  
"Jace, please…" Clary whispered, her voice cracking.  
Her heart was pounding in her throat and she felt like she was going to be sick. He sounded… he sounded like he was giving up on them.  
"Jace…" Clary whispered, trying to keep her lower lip from wobbling. "Are… are you giving up?"  
Jace didn't meet her eyes and Clary had to bite her tongue to stop the pathetic cry from escaping. Tears filled up her eyes and she pulled her hand away from his slowly. She didn't want to be selfish, she knew Jace needed her but she couldn't keep up contact with him if he was breaking up with her. A tear escaped and fell down her cheek before she had the chance to wipe at her eyes.  
"I'm sorry. I should go," Jace murmured.  
Clary wanted him to stay, she wanted him to suddenly turn around and yell, 'Sike!'. She would punch him for it but she'd much rather that to this horrible tight feeling in her chest. She wanted to tell him that she loved him but she knew that would just make him run faster and for the first time she felt a faint twinge of regret.

He stood up and for the first time in a couple of minutes he turned to her and the sight broke his already shattered heart. Her beautiful emerald eyes swam with tears that glittered like diamonds and her lower lip had all but disappeared in her effort to keep quiet. He could see her mouth twitching downwards and he knew it was taking all her self control to keep herself as composed as she was. Even as distraught as she was, Jace thought she looked beautiful.  
"I'm sorry, I just… I need to think. I'll—I'll… I'll see you. Tomorrow. At school," Jace stuttered.  
Clary's face twitched again as she nodded but she didn't stand with him and that spoke volumes to him about how much he had just hurt her.  
"Please don't be mad at me," he begged.  
Clary swallowed hard and nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Jace sighed and nodded feeling like the very scum of the earth.  
"I'm sorry," he whispered and he was gone.

Clary stood and went over to her window to see Jace jog away. The moment his golden head disappeared around the corner she collapsed on her bed and allowed herself to cry.


	37. Chapter 37

**Okay, so... some stuff went down in this one, hope you enjoy it! I really love the second half of this chapter, and I hope you do to!**

 **Shout outs to my wonderful reviewers: ClaceLover246, redrobin, ReadingManiac, taught. to. dream30, xTheMorningStarx! I don't know how you guys express love, but I love food, so if I had food, I would give you some x**

* * *

Jace woke up the next morning with a raging headache and groaned, running a hand through his hair, making his bed head even worse. His head was _killing_ him. He snorted to himself at his own poor choice of words and reluctantly climbed out of bed. He quickly made his bed and slowly trudged down the stairs to grab some painkillers. His father was already up and sitting at the bench with a cup of coffee and Jace stopped in his tracks.

Stephen's eyes flicked up to meet his son's and the silence stretched between them.  
"Good morning, Jonathan," he greeted.  
Jace's nose crinkled lightly. He hated being called 'Jonathan'. His mother had always called him Jace and being called Jonathan felt like his father was trying to remove every last bit of his mother that he had left—and there wasn't much.  
"Good morning," Jace replied quietly.  
He felt his gut twist and he jammed his hands in his pockets.  
"I was hoping we could talk," his father continued.  
Jace rubbed his head tiredly as his stomach lurched and his heartbeat picked up.  
"I—I have a headache," Jace mumbled, looking away.  
He noticed his father press his lips together firmly and gave Jace a somewhat steely look.  
"Jonathan, I know that you were not expecting my… condition, but we do need to talk about it."  
Jace shook his head.  
"No. We don't, you're—you're dying and… that's… I…"  
Jace didn't even know what he was trying to say. He didn't know what to say. What could he say that could possibly make any of this any better?  
" _Jonathan_. Please. Will you sit with me, and just… listen, at the very least?" his father implored him.  
Jace shuffled his feet and after a moment, nodded. He quickly dry swallowed some painkillers before going and sitting next to his father on the bench.

"Thank you. Now first, I just want to say something. I'm sorry."  
Jace stared at his father in shock. Never in a hundred years did Jace ever think he would hear an apology from his father. His golden eyes met his fathers blue ones and he searched for any hint of a lie. He couldn't find any and he felt his defences drop slightly.  
"I'm sorry that I have… been a less than decent father. I'm sorry that I… abandoned you, but I have to say, you've done well for yourself. I've seen your marks in your school work and I'm pleased. You've done me proud."  
Jace felt like he was in a dream. This couldn't possibly be true. _His father? Proud of him?_ Jace felt his heart clench and he exhaled a shaky breath.  
"You… are?" Jace asked quietly.  
Stephen smiled and slapped him once on the back, before leaving it there.  
"Of course, Jonathan," he assured him.  
Jace frowned. That did not align with anything he had ever experienced from his father. Jace glared at him and shrugged his hand off like it burned him.  
"That's not what you said last time," he spat.  
His father glared back at him and gave an angry sigh.  
"I know how I behaved last time, Jonathan… it was not one of my proudest moments of my life."  
"You told me that you wished I had never been born! You said I was a disgrace!" Jace shouted, standing up so vigorously the chair behind him tipped over.  
"Jonathan, I was angry. I lashed out, and I shouldn't have, I made a mistake. Not once, have I ever _actually_ thought that," his father tried to placate him.  
Jace scoffed and shook his head whilst rolling his eyes.  
"Whatever, Dad," he muttered.  
"Jonathan, you are all I have left. I had once thought that I would remarry and perhaps have another child but… that dream is gone. And I don't want to die knowing that you hate me and my company will crumble into dust," his father said honestly.  
Jace's brows furrowed as a sense of betrayal and anger ran through him. His father wanted to replace his mother, replace him? Have a whole new family and forget about his first?  
"You were going to remarry?"  
His father eyed him warily, somehow sensing he should be careful.  
"I had entertained the idea a time or two."  
Jace felt his face and hands twitch.  
"You wanted to _replace_ _Mom_?"  
His father sucked in his breath angrily and glared at Jace.  
"How dare you?" his father's voice had gone low and a familiar note of fury ran through it. "No one could _ever_ replace my Celine, Jonathan."  
"Sounded like it. Like you would just find some other woman off the street, pop out a kid and just _forget_ your first _mistake_ ," Jace spat bitterly.

Jace didn't see the hit coming. The back of his father's hand connected with Jace's cheek and Jace was sent stumbling back in shock as he tasted iron in his mouth. Just as Jace took his last step, he tripped over the fallen stool behind him and he fell backwards onto the floor. Jace's head pounded as his skull thumped against the ground and momentarily he felt dizzy. His father loomed over him, his face twisted into an ugly snarl. Jace was shocked and for the first time he actually felt a little afraid of his father. He had been many things but never had he struck him before.  
" _You_ are the _only_ reason why I even _had_ to consider that! If you hadn't killed my wife, we would not _be_ in this situation!"  
All at once Jace felt his anger disappear. Shame and guilt took its place and he couldn't look at his father any longer.  
"I will _never_ regret marrying Celine, my only regret is that we had _you!_ You _destroy_ everyone you love! Look at your mother! She is _dead_ because of you! Cecily died too because you were too damn _selfish_ to go after a damn ball! And now me! You are killing me! You are a _poison_ on this family! So yes, I wanted another child! I wanted to replace you! But _never_ your mother!"  
His father was panting and shaking with fury while Jace was doing his best to hide himself away, even though he knew every word was true and he deserved so much worse.  
"I'm sorry," Jace whispered.  
It felt measly but it was all he could say, the only thing he thought his father would want to hear.  
His father just shook his head.  
"It's too damn late for 'sorry'."

Clary didn't know what to think as she walked into school that day. She didn't know whether her and Jace were still together, she didn't know if she was supposed to ask or if she was supposed to behave as she did normally. Should she wait for Jace if he wasn't at his locker? Should she sit where she normally did in class, next to Jace? She sighed, dating was difficult. She chewed on her lip and adjusted her bag absent-mindedly.

As luck would have it, Jace was just getting to his locker as she was. She stopped a few feet behind him, wondering if she should say anything.  
"Hey Clary," Jace mumbled, answering her unspoken question.  
"Hey, Jace," she responded hesitantly.  
She stepped up to her locker and opened it. She changed her books over, getting the ones she needed and placing ones she didn't away. She racked her brain for any way to bring up last night without being blunt. She couldn't come up with anything so she settled for just asking him. She closed her locker and faced him, waiting for him to finish up. She looked on the inside of his locker and smiled sadly as she saw a photo of the two of them from their first date. It was the second photo taken where he was kissing her cheek. The camera had captured them at the perfect moment, just after he kissed her cheek, catching her surprise and pink cheeks. Jace's face had been mostly obscured by his hair but she could see that his eyes had closed and the moment between them was just pure and real. It resolved her confidence to ask him about last night.

He shut the door and Clary made to speak but her eyes caught something on Jace's face. Swelling and bruising over his cheek, as well as a cut on his bottom lip.  
"Jace? Jesus, what happened?" Clary asked, her other concerns flying out the window.  
She reached out to touch his cheek gently and Jace closed his eyes. She felt him twitch slightly in pain as her fingertips grazed over the middle of his bruise.  
"Nothing," he muttered, turning sharply away from her.  
Clary glared at him and grabbed his arm turning him to her.  
"Don't 'nothing' me!" Clary snapped.  
"And don't think for one second I don't recognise what a strike to the face looks like," she added softly.

She noticed Jace's shoulders droop and she wrapped her arms around him, resting the side of her face against his chest. His chin rested on the top of her head and his arms encircled her. She felt him take in a deep breath and squeeze her just a little tighter and it reassured her slightly that he still liked her.  
"It really was nothing, I crossed the line," he mumbled.  
Clary shook her head.  
"There's no excuse," she told him firmly, pulling away to look him in the eyes.  
She didn't know how he could look so tired and defeated when just two days ago he looked so healthy and alive.  
"Jace… He can't do that to you," she said gently.  
Jace just shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets and stepping back slightly.

"We got into an argument about Mom. I… I accused him of something and I shouldn't have," he explained, like it made a difference.  
"Jace, there is no call for violence! He is your _father—_ "  
"Yeah, and I murdered his wife," Jace snapped.  
Clary shook her head.  
"Jace… You didn't _murder_ her, it was an accident," Clary tried to reassure him.  
"It's not just that Clary… I'm poison. I'm a disgrace! I deserve everything I get, and more," he hissed angrily.  
Clary shook her head.  
"Jace… No. No, you're—"  
"After everything I've done, how can you say I'm not?" he demanded.  
"Because I know you, Jace! You torture yourself like you're Frankenstein's monster, but you're not! You are good, you are kind," Clary tried in vain to get him to see as she did.  
"Clary, everyone I love, everyone I care about gets hurt—"  
"Change your record, Jace. I'm sick of hearing it. That is an _excuse_ you have hid behind for years!" Clary snapped, cutting him off.

Jace narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head.  
"You don't get it. You never have."  
Clary felt like she had been slapped and she felt the high points of her cheeks burn in frustration.  
"No, Jace, _you_ don't get it."  
Jace stared at her in surprise.  
"You have basically been Pavlov'd! But with words, not food. Any time anyone mentions death or love, you just… you switch off! You spout your crap about love destroying and how you're a bad omen. Your father and your mind has brainwashed you into believing it and I… I don't know how to make you realise that love makes you stronger. That you're not a death omen… Jace… I—" Clary broke off feeling her heart racing and a sudden fear clenching at her heart.  
She almost told him that she loved him but she knew she couldn't; he would turn and run for the hills if she did and that was the last thing she wanted.  
"Jace, ever since your father has shown up it's gotten worse and you don't even seem to believe in yourself any more..." Clary trailed off softly.  
Jace was silent and she had no idea what was going on in his mind. His eyes were hard amber stones that betrayed nothing of what he was thinking or feeling.  
"I have no reason to," Jace said quietly.  
Clary sighed, knowing she wasn't going to get any further.  
"There absolutely is. You just don't see it," she replied sadly.  
The bell rang, cutting through the silence that was stretching between them. Clary and Jace stared at each other as other students passed. Neither knew what to say or even what to think.  
"C'mon, we gotta get to class," Jace finally murmured.  
Clary dropped her gaze and nodded and together they walked off.

Clary raced out the door when the lunch bell rang and made her way to her car before any of her friends could see. She quickly drove out and with her heart pounding made her way to Jace's apartment. She knew she would be late back to school, and that what she was doing was rather risky but she did anything for the people she loved. She parked in Jace's empty slot, seeing an unfamiliar Mercedes in the guest park. She got out and walked to the entrance of the building. Clary smiled at the doorman, Peter, who smiled back as he recognised her.  
"Good afternoon, Miss. Morgenstern," he greeted her.  
"Hey Peter, how many times have I asked you to call me Clary?" she laughed.  
"Too many," he laughed.  
Clary smiled, and nodded.  
"And?" she prompted.  
"It's a pleasure to see you, Miss. Morgenstern," Peter teased her.  
Clary shook her head, in mock disappointment. In truth, she didn't really mind.  
"Now, may I enquire as to what you are doing here? Mr. Herondale isn't here, he is at school, where you should be," Peter asked, giving her a pointed expression.  
Clary bit her lip. She didn't know whether she should tell him what Stephen had done to Jace.  
"I just had to grab something I left here on the weekend. Jace was meant to bring it for me but he forgot so he said I could grab it," Clary lied.  
Peter nodded once in acceptance and glanced at the time.  
"You should hurry otherwise you're going to be late," he reminded her.  
"Thanks, see you shortly Peter!" Clary called as she started to walk away.

She took the elevator up to Jace's apartment and hesitated before his door. She had to admit, she was a little afraid of Stephen. He had hit Jace and was cruel in the way he had abandoned him and then just waltzed back in. Plus, for some reason he seemed to hate her. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears and her palms got sweaty as she heard heavy footsteps on the other side of the door. The door opened to reveal Stephen and he raised an eyebrow at her.  
"Miss. Morgenstern. What are you doing here?" Stephen asked her.  
Clary swallowed hard. Stephen easily stood a foot over her, he was taller than Jace and he seemed to have a dangerous aura around him that made him bigger.  
"I—I know what you did to Jace."  
Clary could have cursed herself for letting herself stutter and be intimidated by the man before her.  
Stephen, however, clearly did not appreciate her tone, and narrowed his eyes at her.  
"I have no idea what you are talking about Miss. Morgenstern," he told her icily.  
Clary felt her blood boil and she glared at him.  
"How dare you!" she hissed venomously. "You know damn well what you did to him! You hit him!"

Stephen grabbed her arm roughly, making her gasp, and dragged her inside and slammed the door shut behind her. Clary immediately felt like she had made a mistake in confronting Stephen. She would not admit it but she felt terrified.

"You should learn to keep your mouth _shut,_ Clarissa."  
Clary felt her face go white. How did Stephen know her name?  
"I know a lot of things, Clarissa Morgenstern. I know about your stint in rehab, you funny little spiral into Raphael Santiago's inner circle and about how Daddy Dearest got you out. I also happen to know that _all that glitters is not gold._ "  
"What the hell are you talking about?" she whispered.  
Stephen smirked.  
"You know… If you've got the money, the means and the connections… It's not hard to fake your death."

Clary's head started spinning and she could feel nothing but terror as she pictured Raphael knocking on her door one day and walking in with a dangerous smirk, like nothing had ever happened.

"You're lying," she whispered.  
"I made a point of knowing exactly who my son was dating. The ex-girlfriend of notorious gang leader, Raphael Santiago and daughter of police captain Valentine Morgenstern. Exactly who the future head of Herondale Industries should be dating," Stephen spat at her.  
Clary remained silent as Stephen's ice blue eyes sneered down at her.  
"Daddy must have been so proud when he found you dying under that bridge. You would have broken his heart."  
Clary didn't know what to say as she remembered the looks of devastation from her family when she came to in the hospital. She could still vaguely remember lying under that bridge, wondering if this was how her life was going to end before seeing her father's face poke into her vision. She could remember how he cradled her and cried, while his partner called for a paramedic.

Clary felt her shoulders droop as her eyes fell to the floor, but then she had an odd moment of clarity. This was exactly what Stephen was doing to Jace. He was making her focus on her bad, instead of the good. He wanted her to feel bad so that he could walk off scot-free.

She squared her shoulders defiantly and glared at him, dead in the eyes.  
"You're right. I _was_ that person. I did break their hearts that day, but since that day and every day forward their love and their compassion inspired me. When I felt like giving up and saving them all the effort it was their love that made me keep going and we, as a family, are stronger for it," she told Stephen boldly.  
He seemed surprised to see that someone had stood up to him and she felt better for it.  
"You need to stop focusing so much on all that has gone wrong in your life and focus on the good. You lost your wife, that's tragic and I am honestly, I am so sorry that happened. But Jace lost his mother too. And instead of being able to move on from that, you have trapped yourself in it and dragged Jace back with you too. He doesn't deserve that, you don't deserve that. I didn't know Celine, but do you think that's what she would have wanted for you two?"  
Stephen evaluated her with an unreadable expression and Clary gave up on trying to read it. She turned away from him and walked to the door but stopped with a hand on the handle. She turned to face Stephen again and this time her eyes were as sharp and angry as a broken glass bottle.  
"And as you said earlier, I am Police Captain Valentine Morgenstern's daughter. If you _ever_ lay a hand on Jace again…" Clary let the implication hang in the air before walking out.


	38. Chapter 38

**Okay, ladies and gentlemen! The ball has started rolling! Out of curiosity, at this stage, who do we feel worse for? Jace or Clary? And what do you think about Jace's little day dream? Do you think that would actually happen?**

 **Of course, shoutouts for my lovely reviewers! Many thanks to: taught. to. dream30, ClaceLover246, CerysFangirl01 and ReadingManiac!**

 **I tried not to leave you waiting too long this time, and I hope you enjoy the long chapter, I think this is actually the longest one, from memory.**

* * *

The exhilaration from standing up to Stephen wore off the moment she sat in her car. At which point she could only think of Raphael. She could almost feel his hands reaching out for her and she quickly locked her doors, the _clunk_ reassuring her. She sat for another moment, her hands gripping tightly onto the steering wheel.  
"Stephen is just trying to mess with your head… You _saw_ Raphael's body… He's dead. There is no way he can come back to life from that…" Clary muttered reassuringly to herself.  
Her eyes darted around the car park furtively, searching for any sign of Raphael. After seeing no one there she tried to shake the thoughts from her mind and drove away. All throughout her drive she talked herself out of thinking he was alive. She was almost about to let it go when she spied the police station that her father worked at. Without even thinking she pulled up in front and ran into the station.

She ran up the steps and up to the receptionist, Lydia Branwell.  
"Hi Lydia, I need to speak with my father," Clary told her.  
Lydia, a pretty, young woman with intelligent blue eyes and long blonde hair frowned slightly.  
"Clary? Shouldn't you be in school right now?" Lydia asked her.  
"Lydia, _please_. It's really important. I _need_ to speak with my father," Clary pleaded.  
Lydia hesitated but seemed to understand it was important so she nodded and buzzed her in.  
"Thank you!" Clary exclaimed as she ran past.

She ran upstairs, past the officers whom all smiled and greeted her, before knocking vigorously on her father's door.  
"Come in!"  
Clary opened the door and her father frowned upon seeing her.  
"Clary? What are you doing here? Why aren't you in school?" he asked in a stern but worried tone.  
Clary bit her lip anxiously and she could see the worry increase in her father's eyes.  
"Are you okay? Is Jon okay?" he pressed.  
Clary looked up at him with wide, scared eyes.  
"Is Raphael really dead?"  
She waited anxiously for his reassurance but her heart sank as she saw his light blue eyes widened in shock. If Raphael had really been dead, he would have smiled and laughed her off.  
Raphael was alive.

Clary's lower lip trembled without her consent and she felt her eyes burn. Her father stood up and reached around her to shut and lock his door.  
"Clary, Clary, shh, it's okay," he tried to soothe her.  
Clary couldn't breathe though, Raphael was alive. He was alive and he was going to hurt her. She felt her father's arms encase her and Clary couldn't help the whimpers that fell from her lips. She could feel her whole body shaking and there was nothing she could do to stop it.  
"Clary, I promise, he will not come anywhere near you. You are perfectly safe, I _promise_ ," her father murmured.  
"W-wh-when did you find out?" Clary asked him.  
There was a pause before her father sighed heavily.  
"We've known for a year," he admitted.  
"A year?!" Clary exclaimed.  
"Yes. Don't you worry Clary, we know what he is doing every second of the day and he has _never_ been close to you," he assured her.  
Clary wrenched herself out of her father's reach.  
"Why didn't you tell me?!" she cried.  
"Because you were happy. You were our Clary again, and you weren't waking us up at three in the morning, _screaming_ ," he told her quietly.  
Clary looked up at him with sad eyes.  
"You lied to me…" she whispered.  
Her father's eyes hardened slightly.  
"No, Clary. I didn't. I just chose not to turn you into a wreck again. If he ever started getting near you I would have told you—kept you safe, but he has stayed away," he explained.  
Clary shook her head.

"How do _you_ know?" he asked her.  
"Stephen Herondale, Jace's father, told me," she answered, a hint of anger in her voice.  
She couldn't believe that _Stephen_ had been the one to tell her about Raphael, and not _her father.  
_ "You met Stephen Herondale?" her father asked, his voice sounding rather flinty.  
"Yes," Clary said, not liking his tone.  
"I would like it if you kept your meetings at a minimum, Clary. He is not a nice person, and I don't want you around that," he said to her, his voice indicating there was no room for discussion on the topic.  
Clary looked at him, with confused eyes before shrugging.  
"I don't think Stephen will be a problem," she assured him.  
"He better not," he snapped.

"What's the deal between you two?" Clary asked, curiously.  
Her father just shook his head.  
"Nothing for you to worry about," he assured her, returning to his seat behind his desk.  
"Really? Because he seems to really dislike me," she pressed.  
Her father looked up at her and sighed.  
"We exchanged words at his hearing, back when he lost his wife," he told her.  
Clary was surprised. She hadn't expected that, her father was rather level headed and knew to keep his mouth quiet about his opinions. She moved to the desk and sat down in one of the two chairs in front of his desk.  
"What about?" she asked curiously.  
"About his behaviour. He was making rather unsavoury comments about his son. I didn't care for them, and when I tried to make him see sense, he started on me. Which I did not care for either. At which point Stephen's behaviour then escalated to violence. I understand grief, but I do _not_ tolerate violence because of it," he told her.  
It made sense in Clary's mind. Jace had mentioned his mother and Stephen had lashed out. Sounded like he hadn't changed. It begged the question of whether or not she should mention that he had struck Jace that morning.

"Hey, Dad? Can we talk, as father—daughter and not… daughter and police captain?" Clary asked him hesitantly.  
He looked at her curiously, the familiar worry in his eyes.  
"Of course, what do you need to tell me?" he asked, coming to sit in the other chair.  
"Stephen… he…" Clary trailed off.  
Her fathers eyes turned to ice and his shoulders tensed. Clary could see the difference his anger made in him. He looked much younger, and much more lethal. Like someone who could takeover the world.  
"He didn't touch you did he?" he growled.  
Clary's thoughts immediately drifted to the harsh grab Stephen had made earlier but she didn't really care about that. She was more worried about Jace.  
"No, no. Not me," she reassured him.  
Her father frowned slightly and nodded at her to go on. His body deflating slightly as his temper died back.  
"He… struck Jace today and… I don't know what to do," she mumbled.  
Her father breathed out heavily with a low growl.  
"Has it happened before?" he asked her, his authoritative Police Captain voice coming in.  
"Daaad, we're talking father—daughter, remember?" Clary whined.  
"I'm not kidding, Clarissa. This is serious," her father told her firmly.  
Clary sighed. She had brought it on herself, she should have known he couldn't stop his police captain side. Plus, maybe he could actually help.  
"As far as I know, only the one time, but he's only been back for a couple of days… I mean, what if it happens again?" Clary asked, her voice small.  
Her father looked angry, like he wanted to go and punch something.  
"How long was Stephen gone for? You mentioned he was 'back'?" he asked her.  
"I don't know? I think nearly a year, at the very, very least six months. Jace usually lives on his own," Clary told her father.  
Her father looked even more furious after that.  
"Why was he away for so long? Did Jace have anyone else there to look after him?"  
"No, Jace lives alone… I think Stephen was gone for business. Why?" Clary asked, confused.  
"Because Clary, that is child abandonment. It's neglect and Stephen can be tried and convicted for deserting a child," he told her.  
"But Jace is disowned, he told me," Clary put in.  
"Clarissa, unless there are extenuating circumstances, for example; Jace being a mass murderer, it is illegal to disown a child in the state of New York, before they turn eighteen."  
Clary's eyes widened in shock.  
"But… Jace has been on his own for years…" she whispered.

A thick silence spread between them as her father assessed what Clary had told him and she thought over what her father told her.  
"Clary, I think Jace would have a very good case if he wanted to sue his father. Child abandonment, abuse, neglect, I could put people onto it for him, if he wanted. I actually have half a mind to do it now," her father informed her.  
She hadn't realised it was so serious, the true extent of how horrible Stephen had been to Jace. She wondered if she should ask him to look into it or if she should speak to Jace. She wondered what Jace would say, she couldn't imagine he would be happy about her going behind his back; however, she also thought that even if she told him all that her father could do for him, Jace wouldn't do anything about it. She did know that something this big, this invasive to Jace… She could lose him. For good. He could hate her for prying and then telling someone else. She could see it now, his eyes flashing that dark bronze colour and him shouting and cursing at her before telling her he wanted nothing to do with her anymore. Tears of frustration and confusion welled up.  
"I don't know, Dad! He would… he would _hate_ me if he knew I went behind his back, but I just know that he would wave it all behind! He believes whatever Stephen tells him! He wouldn't believe he would be worth any of the trouble and then he would just be mad because I told people private things!" she cried, standing up and pacing in front of her father.  
There was another pause between them and she could see her father trying to choose his next words carefully.  
"Clary, I think you have to ask yourself, what is more important? That Jace is taken care of, or your relationship with him," her father said gently.  
Clary felt a tightness grip her heart and tears began slipping down her cheeks. She wanted to be selfish, _so badly_ , to put her feelings and their relationship first but she knew she wouldn't be happy. Not if she knew she could have done something to help the boy she loved. Her mouth twisted down into a slight pout and her forehead crinkled as tears started to fall.  
"Oh, princess… I wish I could make this easier for you. Most adults can't even make a decision like this," her father said regretfully.  
Clary just broke into small cries.  
"I-I just want to h-help… and I don't k-know how else to," she whispered, her voice cracking.  
"Princess, why don't you talk to Jace first, you never know… if he knows there's a good chance for him then maybe he'll say yes," her father suggested gently.  
"You don't know him like I do… He won't…" Clary whispered, feeling defeated.  
"Then maybe for your own peace of mind then… I won't start anything until you tell me to, okay," he soothed her.  
Clary's cries dissolved into sniffles as she looked at her father.  
"You promise?"  
"I promise.  
Clary nodded and sat back in her chair. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, both thinking different things about the same person.

"Well, I don't see the point in you going back to school, as by the time you get there, class will end shortly. So I would like you to go home. I'll call the school, tell them I brought you out for a family emergency. Don't let this become a habit though, Clarissa," her father warned her.  
She knew he was serious from the use of her full name.  
"I won't, I promise. Just a one time thing," she agreed. "And thanks Dad, for having my back."  
Her father smiled warmly at her and tugged on a curl like she was a little girl again.  
"Always, princess."  
Clary smiled, and stood up. She walked over to the door before hesitating, the reason for her visit coming back to her mind.  
"Dad?" she asked.  
"Yes?"  
"You promise I'm safe…?"  
"Clarissa, I will protect you with my life. You are my daughter. The moment we found out he was alive, we had officers posted on him. You couldn't be safer unless you had a bodyguard," he assured her.  
She smiled, feeling her fear dissipate slightly. She nodded at her father and stepped back out into the office.

Jace waited at his locker for Clary after class but she never showed. He hadn't seen her at lunch and he was starting to worry. He wondered if he'd pushed her too far this morning and she had decided to leave. It would serve him right but he found himself hoping that she hadn't. The students around him began to disperse but he still waited for her. With each passing minute he felt his gut sink deeper and after 20 minutes he decided to cut his losses and finally go home.

"Quite the girlfriend you have there, Jonathan."  
Jace had barely even stepped into his apartment and his father was waiting for him.  
"Excuse me?" he asked, confused.  
His father's cutting blue eyes flicked off his laptop to meet Jace's golden ones.  
"Clarissa Morgenstern. Quite a mouthy young lady," he commented.  
Clary had spoken to his dad? When?  
"She gave me a little visit this afternoon, gave me a little speech love and family. She's a lot like her father, sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong."  
Jace felt a faint burn of protective defensiveness come up in him, as it always did with her, and he narrowed his eyes at his father.  
"I will only say this once, _watch_ what you say about Clary," Jace growled warningly.  
He noticed the way his father paused, deliberating something.  
"She happened to mention my… indiscretion this morning," he said carefully.  
Jace froze and tensed up as phantom pain pulsed from his sore cheek.  
"I assume you told her?" he asked.  
"She figured it out," Jace responded evenly.  
"I guess she would know, wouldn't she?" he idly commented.  
Jace frowned suspiciously.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, you know that she was a gang leader's punching bag. If anyone would know, it would be her," his father said matter-of-factly.  
Jace was confused, how did his father know? He had never spoken of Clary's past with him.  
"How do you know about that?" Jace asked.  
"I make a point of knowing who you involve yourself with."  
Jace didn't know what to say, he didn't know what to address first; his father keeping tabs on him or the fact he had clearly run an extensive, possibly illegal background check on his girlfriend and now knew her dirty secrets.

"Now, can we please sit and talk? We seem to get distracted by arguments more often than not," his father asked him.  
Jace complied and sat next to his father at the table. He faced his father and nodded, indicating that he would at least try not to interrupt.  
"Thank you Jonathan. Now, as you know, I am dying. I have chronic liver disease. I've had it for years but it got worse after… Celine. That's when I developed cirrhosis, which complicated treatments."  
As his father spoke Jace felt his palms start to sweat and he began to feel uncomfortable. They hadn't spoken about this since his father had blurted it out and before, Jace could just pretend he hadn't heard and that he had dreamed it all up. Talking about it for real though, he couldn't pretend any longer.  
"We've been treating it for some time but, my body isn't taking to the treatments too well. I have decided to give it a rest for a month and from there… depending on the state of my liver, we will discuss more options."  
Jace felt his head start to spin and he clenched his hands together. His nails dug into his palms hard enough to draw blood. The pain was enough to keep him focused on his father's words.  
"And now I am left with a decision, to leave my company in the hands of the board… or pass it onto you."  
Jace stared at his father in shock. He wanted _Jace_ to takeover the company? His father wanted to leave the company in _his_ hands?  
"What?" Jace asked, unsure if he had heard his father right.  
"I would like to leave Herondale Industries in your hands. If you show promise for the position. I would train you before I died, of course," his father replied.  
Jace blinked in shock.  
"Why? You hate me?" he asked.  
He saw his father take a deep breath and look away, as if seeing someone or something that was only in his mind.  
"Your Clary mentioned something today and it just made me think about what Celine would have wanted. I think this would have made her happy. To think that her son would inherit my business. My investors are not so pleased with the idea but would be more receptive if they met you, I think," his father mused.  
For the second time that night Jace was left speechless.

"Hey, Dad?" he asked quietly after a few moments of silence.  
"Yes, Jonathan?"  
"How much longer do you have?" he asked.  
"That depends entirely. At this stage, if I decided not to do any more treatment I could possibly get another year of life, at best. If we kept going with the treatments, prolonging the inevitable then I could get maybe another couple of years," he answered honestly.  
A year? Only a year? Realistically, this would mean Jace only had a month with his father before he had to go off on another of his 'business' trips.  
"So, it's incurable?" Jace asked quietly.  
"At this stage… transplant is really my only viable option. I'm on the list, it's just a matter of waiting," his father assured him.  
Jace looked to his clenched fists and slowly stretched them out.  
"Okay," he muttered, more to himself.  
His father placed a hand on his shoulder and Jace turned to him.  
"Thank you for listening. I know it's a lot to take in, but I need you ready. We have a lot of training to undertake in a very short time," he said.  
"Training?" Jace asked.  
"For your role at the head of my business," his father replied.  
Jace was both surprised and not surprised that his business was at the forefront of his mind. Jace thought of all the time he spent away, all the time he spent on the phone or laptop and wondered if he could do that.

* * *

 _Jace sighed tiredly, running one hand through his hair as he walked to his apartment. His briefcase bumped against the door as he opened it. The apartment was dark, it was late. He was much later than he had anticipated being. He kicked his shoes off by the door and walked to the second door and shrugged his jacket and tie off. He hung his jacket up by the door and the tie around the neck of the hanger. He dumped his briefcase on the desk and walked back out the door. He was so tired, he felt weary to his very bones. He walked into first room and smiled as he looked down at his sleeping daughter.  
"Dad?" she croaked sleepily.  
_" _Yeah, darling?" he responded.  
_ _Her eyes opened and bright green orbs stared at him.  
_ " _Where were you tonight?" she asked.  
_ _Jace felt his heart sink, he had missed her performance. Again.  
_ " _I'm sorry, honey, I was working," he answered.  
_ " _Oh," she replied.  
_ _He didn't like the sound of that, the small finality. The disappointment. He felt like he had failed and it crushed him.  
_ " _I promise, I will make the next one," he promised her.  
_ _He would, he would show her how proud of her he was. He would scream and yell and cheer louder than another other parent in the hall.  
_ " _That's what you always say."  
_ _She rolled back over and seconds later he heard her breath even back out and he knew she was sleeping. He was a disappointment to her. He sighed heavily and brushed back her curly blonde hair. He pressed a kiss to her temple.  
_ " _I'm sorry, honey."_

 _He walked out of her room, going to the only other place he would be able to seek forgiveness. He jogged up the stairs and went to the last door. Light was shining brightly from underneath the door and he opened the door slowly, not to disturb the woman inside. She was painting, with big, bold strokes of reds, blues and blacks. He could see flecks of those colours in her curly, red hair which was falling out of its bun. Her paintbrush smacked onto the canvas heavily and he flinched. He knew she was angry. Angry at him.  
_ " _Her performance was beautiful, in case you were wondering."  
_ _Her voice was sharp, like moonlight dancing on a daggers edge.  
_ " _I—I"  
_ " _What excuse is it tonight? Which deal did you have to make? Which investor did you have to meet with? Which intern did you have to 'train'?"  
_ _Jace hung his head upon hearing his usual excuses.  
_ " _I forgot. I got lost in the deal we have to settle on Monday and I— I just forgot. Look, I promise, I'll make it up to her. We'll all go out and celebrate her and I'll get her that phone she wants and—"  
_ " _You cannot buy everyone's love, Jace!"  
_ _She had finally turned to face him and he realised he was wrong. She wasn't just angry. She was furious and sad. Her green eyes blazed from behind a curtain of tears.  
_ " _You cannot just throw her expensive things and expect her to love you! You have to be her father, Jace. You have to be willing to put your work aside for one damn hour! One hour! That is all she has ever asked from you! And you can't even be bothered to do that," Clary snapped.  
_

 _Her words were designed to hurt and they cut deep. He was ashamed to say it brought out the worst from him.  
_ " _You know my job is hard, Clary, you know it demands a lot of time and attention. You knew this when I took the job, and I don't see you complaining when you can spend all day in this stupid art studio **I** built for you! You didn't complain when I used **my**_ _connections, and **my** money to put our daughter in the best school there is! You have everything you could ever want! I don't know what else to give you!" he shouted at her.  
_" _I don't **want** those things! I **want** my damn **husband**! I want the person who promised to love me, to be there for me! I want the man who cried when he held his daughter for the first time and promised to always be there for her! I want him! To hell with your money and your 'connections'!" she shouted back, tears streaming down her face.  
_ " _What? So suddenly this life isn't good enough for you?! You mean to say I work all the time to make you happy and you're not even grateful for everything I've given you?! If it's not good enough, send it back! Dump our daughter in some shitty public school so she can get high and drunk and get stuck in with some gang leader! Oh wait, no, that was **you**!"_

 _Clary stepped back like he had struck her but he was too tired and too angry to care. Worst of all, he was angry at himself because Clary's words were all true. He had stopped being that husband, that father and he hated himself for it. Instead of saying that though he just kept shouting at her._

" _Who's Aline, Jace?"  
_ _He felt the blood run from his face. He wondered how the hell she had heard about Aline, but tried not to show it.  
_ " _No one."  
_ _Clary scoffed at him.  
_ " _Don't give me that crap. Who is Aline?"  
_ " _I told you, she is no one, Clary. Just a colleague at work," Jace said nonchalantly, trying to shrug it off.  
_ " _Really?" she sneered at him.  
_ _He rolled his eyes.  
_ " _If she's just a 'colleague' then why the hell is she sending you nude photos of herself?"  
_ _Jace's heart stopped. **She knew**_. _His best bet was to bluff it off, sob, say sorry, Clary had a soft heart and fell for that kind of stuff.  
_ " _Look, Clary..._ _She has a thing for me, she sends me stuff sometimes but I swear to you, it is only one sided," Jace tried to wheedle.  
_ " _Really? One sided?" Clary asked softly.  
_ _Jace grinned internally, she was falling for it.  
_ " _Yeah, I promise," he assured her.  
_ _Clary looked down at her phone and he saw another tear drip onto the surface.  
_ " _Then why did you send pictures back? Why did you arrange times to meet, for dates that **we** were supposed to be on, for performances that **our daughter** asked you to be at?"  
_

 _Jace heard his blood rush through his ears and he knew he was caught out. Not only for cheating, but for lying about it._ _His eyes slowly raised to meet Clary's and looking into them he realised he had broken her. The fight had completely gone out of them and all he could see was regret, disappointment and agony. That realisation cut him worse than anything else as he saw the woman that he loved, the woman he married, shattered because of him. Everything cut in crystal clear with him in that moment and he knew she was going to leave, and he would be nothing without her, an odd kind of panic seized his chest and he knew she had to stay, for him._

" _Clary… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Please, please, I'm sorry, please forgive me," he begged, falling to his knees.  
_ " _Go fuck yourself, Jace. You've gotten what you wanted. I'm leaving in the morning. I'll be taking our daughter with me, as the Angel knows she doesn't have a **father** to take care of her," Clary snapped, throwing her paintbrush into a jar of water.  
_ " _Where are you going?" he whispered.  
_ " _Why? So you can screw Aline there too?"  
_ _He hung his head in shame.  
_ " _I'm sorry," he whispered.  
_ " _Whatever, now please, get out."_

 _Jace dragged himself to his feet and walked out, closing the door behind him. He waited a moment and pressed his ear to the door. He wished he hadn't, because he hadn't heard her cry like that since her father was shot. He turned away and cursed himself and his job._

* * *

"Jace!"  
Jace snapped back to it all at once and turned to his father, who was shouting at him.  
"Jace, are you listening?"  
"What?" he blurted out.  
He felt oddly disorientated and had to look around to realise he wasn't 20 years ahead in the future, he wasn't CEO of Herondale Industries and he wasn't married to Clary.  
"I said, that we can meet with the board members next weekend to start your training," his father said in an irritated tone.  
Jace looked up at him dumbstruck and thought back to his day dream and shook his head. In his dream, he was CEO, and he had a family and everything he ever wanted… and he treated them like dirt and lost everything that actually mattered. He didn't want that.  
"No, thanks. Dad. I don't want to," he replied in a casual way.  
His father narrowed his eyes at him examining him.  
"We'll talk about it later," he said firmly.  
Jace nodded and stood up from the table.  
"I'm going up to do some homework. I'll see you for dinner," Jace said.  
His father made some non committal noise and Jace turned to leave.  
"She loves you, you know?"  
Jace froze mid stride, all the muscles in his back tensing.  
"What?" his voice was like ice.  
"Clary. She loves you."  
Jace swallowed hard; two sides at war inside him. One part, a tiny small part of him was light and happy. Excited for what this meant. The other part, the larger part, was horrified at the thought.  
"That poor, poor girl."  
Jace wanted to punch him for that mocking, patronising tone.  
"Do her a favour, Jace? Let her get out, while she still can."  
Jace bowed his head, unable to say anything in his defence, as he left.


	39. Chapter 39

**Here's the next chapter in their saga, I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Many thanks to my amazing reviewers! ClaceLover246, taught. to. dream30, TRex077, xTheMorningStarx, CerysFangirl01, ReadingManiac and our lovely Guest! You were all the driving force behind this chapter.**

* * *

Jon was jerked awake by the sound of blood curdling screaming. In his sleep riddled state he fell out of bed and smacked his head hard on the floor. He sat up, groaning and rubbed the back of his head. A scream ripped through the night air again and some part of his brain twigged as he realised that was Clary's scream. He was on his feet in seconds and running out his door. He hadn't heard her scream like that in a long time, and he forgot how much it scared him. He threw open her door, to see her curled up in the foetal position, still asleep. He sat on the bed next to her and firmly held her arms down as he tried to wake her.  
" _Clary!"_ he hissed quietly.  
She started to struggle in his arms, and her knee caught him fair in the rib and Jon gasped as the wind was knocked out of him.  
"Clary!" he snapped, giving her a little shake.  
Her face pinched slightly and he saw a tear leak out from under her closed eyelid.  
"Jon!"  
He turned to see his tired and worried parents behind him. His father frowned down at them and grimaced. Clary let out another scream and Jon turned back to his sister.  
"Clary! Wake up!" he shouted at her and gave her a series of light taps on the cheek.

Her green eyes shot open and she fought against Jon, kicking her feet out and trying to pull her arms free. She landed a hard kick to his jaw and he howled in pain, letting her go, as his mouth filled with blood.  
"Jon!" his mother gasped and rushed forwards.  
Jon shook his head and, grimacing, swallowed the blood in his mouth. He knew that if people crowded Clary in this state she would freak. As it was, Clary had scrambled back into the far corner of her bed, her arms wrapped around her knees, her face hidden.  
"Clary, it's okay. It's Jon, your brother. You're home," he tried to soothe her, his mouth aching with each word.  
He carefully sat on the bed in front of her and kept his hands in his lap, trying to make himself look as non-threatening as possible. Clary's tear stained face peeked out from over her knees and he gave her a small smile.

"Hey, Clare Bear," he said softly.  
"Jonny?" she croaked out, her voice hoarse from screaming.  
He smiled wider and she lunged at him, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder, crying. He held her tight and tried to soothe her but he didn't know what to say, the last time she was this upset it was because of Raphael. He was dead now though so he didn't know what else could possibly scare her so much.  
He looked up at his father to see a pained and pinched expression filled with regret.

"Dad, do you know what's going on?" he asked quietly.  
He saw his parents exchange looks and Clary pulled away from him.  
"You didn't tell him, either?" she asked angrily.  
"Tell me what?" Jon asked.  
He was even more confused now, what were they hiding from him?  
"I had wanted to do it tomorrow, in the morning, I… I had hoped your nightmares wouldn't return," his father answered.  
"Well, cat's out of the bag now..." Clary muttered.  
Jon looked between the two of them and waited patiently.

"Jonny, Raphael is alive," Clary said quietly.  
Jon felt his head spin. Clary's drug dealer ex-boyfriend was alive?  
"What?" he spluttered.  
Clary's lip trembled slightly and he pulled her closer, feeling his overprotective side coming out.  
"He managed to use his money and contacts to fake his death. The police has known for about a year and has been watching him," his father explained.  
Jon's jaw dropped. He couldn't comprehend how it had happened and why they hadn't been told!  
"Dad! This is serious! I needed to be told! I need to be able to protect Clary! How am I supposed to look out for her if you don't tell me when a serious threat is around!" Jon whisper-yelled.  
"Please don't argue, Jon. Please," Clary begged, a slight whimper in her voice.  
Jon tightened his arms around his distraught sister and glared at their father, silently telling him all was not forgiven.  
"Sorry Clare Bear," Jon apologised to her.

Their parents left shortly after, knowing that Jon wouldn't leave until Clary was asleep.  
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Jon asked quietly.  
Clary bit her lip, part of her really did want to talk about it, but the other part of her didn't want to burden Jon any more than she already did.  
"It was just a bad dream, Jon," Clary mumbled.  
"You woke me up from screaming and then attacked me. That's more than just a bad dream, Clary," Jon said to her, frustration colouring his tone.  
She stubbornly stayed quiet, trying to control both her temper and her tears.  
"Clary, I just want to help," he said earnestly.  
"I know you do! You're _always_ helping me, you're _always_ there for me, but when am I ever there for you? When do _you_ ever need _my_ help?" she hissed.  
"I need you to be okay. You help me by being my sister and I know that you will always have have my back whenever I need you," he said honestly.  
She shook her head.  
"It doesn't feel like enough," she mumbled.  
"Clary, whenever any of our friends have a problem, you know who they always talk to? You. Because you are the most kind and generous person anyone knows. You give your absolute everything for your friends and family. You bring us together and hold us together and we would not be who we are without you," Jon argued.  
She opened her mouth to say something but Jon cut her off.  
"Magnus. Alec. Sebastian. Kaelie. Hell, even Jace is better with you. You have made so many people happy, Clary, how could you even think you don't make a difference?" Jon asked gently.  
Clary looked down at her clasped fingers awkwardly.  
"I don't know, Jon…" she dragged out.  
"That's okay, because I _do_ know," he assured her.  
Clary gave him a small smile, and rested her head on his shoulder.  
"Thanks, Jonny. You're the best big brother ever."  
Jon smiled down at his younger sister and together they sat in comfortable silence until their eyelids drooped and their breaths evened out.

Jace didn't see Clary all week. He sent her a text on Wednesday asking if she was okay, to which she had replied she had a flu. He wished her well and that was the last they'd spoken. It felt weird for Jace to be without her. He didn't quite feel like he belonged at the table with the others, but to their credit, they tried to include him. He just didn't feel much like talking. He did notice Jon looking less and less jovial and more and more tired as the days passed.

Clary finally showed up the next Monday and he had to admit, she looked awful. She was beautiful as usual, but she had big dark circles under her eyes and they were bloodshot and strained.  
"Hey, beautiful," he greeted her.  
She looked up at him and gave him a tired, but genuine smile.  
"Hi, Jace. How are you?" she asked.  
Her voice was cracked and sounded strained, like she'd been yelling a lot.  
"I'm okay. How are you? The flu looks like it's been wrecking you," he commented, concerned for her welfare.  
She looked at him blankly before nodding.  
"Yeah, it's been pretty killer," she said idly.  
He squinted slightly, she wasn't at all behaving the way she did last time she was sick.

* * *

" _Jaaaaace," she whined.  
_ _He looked over at her curled up on his couch, bundled up in blankets. A smile tugged at his lips at her tired and sweaty face.  
_ " _Yes?" he asked, with an amused tone.  
_ " _I'm siiiick," she whined again.  
_ " _You don't say?" he teased.  
_ _She pouted at him and then sneezed. If it had been anyone else Jace probably would have politely but quickly escorted them out of his apartment, but oddly, he didn't mind her being here. He liked taking care of her and having her depend on him. She had managed to convince her parents that she was staying at Isabelle's, when really she was staying with him. Now he had her all to himself.  
_ " _Don't be mean," she pouted.  
_ " _I'm sorry, here, I'll make my mum's soup for you. There's no way you won't feel better after that," he laughed.  
_ _Her eyes widened slightly and then her face broke out into a grin.  
_ " _I like a man that can cook, do you have the sexy apron and all?" she teased._

 _He winked at her and made his way into the kitchen. He grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up, dropping it teasingly on the floor. Next he grabbed down a gag gift from Will, a sexy bikini body apron and tied it on, before turning to Clary. He had seen the appreciative glint in her eye from where she had been checking him out, but when she saw him in the apron she burst into laughter. Big peals of laughter shook her body until she had a rather nasty coughing fit. She sat up and began coughing and hacking and even though he knew it was normal for a flu, he still felt a seed of concern as her coughing kept going. He quickly poured her a glass of water and knelt by her side, rubbing her back firmly. Once her coughs subsided she gratefully drank the water and set the glass back on the table._

" _I'm sorry, I'm so gross and embarrassing right now," she mumbled, embarrassment clear on her face.  
_ _Jace felt a smile tug at his lips and he laughed.  
_ " _Not at all," he assured her.  
_ _She gave him a skeptical look and he smiled wider. He cupped her face in his hands and tilted her head up so he could capture her lips with his for a sweet, chaste kiss.  
_ " _Not at all gross or embarrassing," he assured her.  
_ _She blushed, though to be honest, he almost couldn't tell due to her face being flushed from the flu.  
_ " _Y'know, I really like that apron," she giggled.  
_ _He smirked.  
_ " _Is it the apron or the body underneath?"  
_ _She pretended to think before giving him a smirk of her own.  
_ " _Take off the apron and I'll tell you."_

 _He stared deep into her eyes, debating on whether or not to tease her. He decided he would and he reached behind him to untie the apron from around his neck. He heard her breath hitch slightly and he couldn't help the smirk. Her eyes, bloodshot and tired, focused like lasers onto him and he couldn't help the way his ego inflated. He pulled the apron away and he watched as her eyes focused on his body. He enjoyed the way her eyes roamed him. It wasn't like the way other girls had looked at him; she looked at him as if she was actually seeing him. She focused on his scars and marks, his flaws, rather than contours and planes that everyone else had. He knew she saw beauty in brokenness and flaws, but he didn't quite realise until she touched a scar Nyx had made on his chest. He felt goosebumps break out over his skin and her fingertips left a train of fire in their wake._

" _I know it's not manly, but you are beautiful," she said quietly.  
_ _The moment had turned from a funny, teasing moment to a sweet, meaningful one and he smiled. She was different, incredible and he was so lucky.  
_ " _Definitely prefer you without the apron," she said teasingly, breaking the silence.  
_ _He laughed and she joined him, until another coughing fit hit her.  
_ " _I'm gonna make that soup for you, you'll feel better," he said, giving her a reassuring smile.  
_ _She nodded and snuggled back into the couch.  
_ " _Thank you. I like having you take care of me," she murmured.  
_ _His smile broadened and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  
_ " _I like taking care of you."_

* * *

She was acting different, a lot more lethargic than normal and it worried him. Clary just seemed like everything took a lot of effort and her smile didn't have it's usual shine. He stopped and put his hand on her shoulder and was shocked when she flinched slightly. He immediately drew his hands back. He tried to ignore the hurt flowing that flowed through him but he couldn't. So apparently he had hurt her.  
"I see," he commented quietly.  
Clary's eyes flicked to his in confusion.  
"What?" she asked tiredly.  
"You could have just told me, if you didn't want to be together any more all you had to do was say the word," he forced out.  
Clary turned him, slamming her locker door shut.  
"You do not get to turn anything on me!" she growled angrily at him.  
"Well apparently I am revolting enough to flinch when I touch you, even after I haven't seen you in a week and you are _lying_ to me about where you've been," he snapped at her.

Clary stared at him and shook her head at him.  
"So that's how low you think I am? That I've been stuffing around on you for a week?" she snipped.  
Jace rolled his eyes.  
"I don't for one second think you are cheating, if that's what you're implying. But I know you're hiding something and I want to know. You and I are meant to be in a relationship, aren't we supposed to tell each other this stuff?" he asked.  
Clary glared at him.  
"Well, _are_ we in a relationship any more?" she asked.  
He paled slightly.  
"I had hoped so," he told her.  
She stared up into his impassive gold eyes. She wanted to know what he was thinking, to find any sort of clue as to what he wanted.  
"I want us to be too," she murmured.

She suddenly felt really tired, and she just couldn't be bothered arguing.  
"I don't want to argue, I've done too much arguing lately. I just…" Clary trailed off.  
Jace watched her whole body deflate as if she had the weight of the world cast over her shoulders. He felt bad for picking a fight and sighed heavily.  
"I'm sorry, it's been a rough week," he murmured.  
Clary gave him a knowing look.  
"I agree," she mumbled.  
Clary stood in front of him and she looked so small and so full of despair, he couldn't help himself. He embraced her and rested his chin on the top of her head. Clary took a deep breath and nestled her face in closer.  
"Thank you. I needed this," she mumbled into his chest.  
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  
"Me too," he whispered.  
"And you're right, we do need to talk. Today at lunch?" she suggested.  
He looked down at her and nodded.

Lunch rolled around faster than he would have liked and before he knew it, Clary was leading him out to a secluded section under a tree. She sat down and leaned back against the tree trunk, enjoying the peaceful moment. Jace sat next to her and kept his fingers tangled with hers. He was surprised at just how much he still liked to hold her hand. It was a simple gesture but it made him feel less alone.  
"I visited your father last week, during lunch," Clary started quietly.  
Jace turned to look at her curiously, he knew she had gone to visit his Dad, he didn't know why though.  
"I just, I couldn't stand to think of him getting off scot-free after hurting you. So I told him not to ever touch you like that again. He hasn't, has he?" she asked, turning to face him.  
Jace turned to her and wordlessly shook his head, he hadn't realised it was because of him. He could see in her eyes she had been worried about him but it surprised him how much she cared for him. She cared enough to actually say something and make a difference.  
"Good, means he was listening. But… he did tell me something and that's why I've been away."  
Her voice had started out strong and defiant, but at the end she sounded… afraid? _What did she have to be afraid of? What did his father say to her?_ Jace looked at her with what he hoped to be an encouraging and non judgemental look on his face.

"He told me that if you have the money and connections that you can fake your death."  
Jace frowned, what an odd thing for his father to say. He studied her face attentively; she looked like she was trying very hard to keep calm and her dark circles seemed to darken before his very eyes. Something was very wrong.  
"That's weird, did he elaborate on that statement?" Jace asked her.  
Clary looked up at him and he was surprised to see a glimmer of fear and sadness in her eyes. It immediately worried him and he pulled her closer, into his arms, only to find she was trembling. He immediately squeezed her tighter and tried to let her know she would be safe with him.  
"Not really, but we ended up discussing my failures in terms of Raphael Santiago… it wasn't hard to put two and two together," she whispered.  
Jace felt like _Edward Norton_ in _Fight Club_ when he was sitting tied up at Ground Zero.  
"I went to visit my father and… he confirmed it. Raphael is alive, Jace," Clary told him, looking up at him.  
Tears shone brightly, glittering like diamonds, in contrast to the dullness of the green around them.  
"I can't sleep. I wake up every night, screaming bloody murder. I wake up my parents, I wake up Jon and he won't go back to bed until I've fallen asleep. But I can never sleep after a nightmare, I just pretend so that he can get some sleep. Today is the first time I've left the house since finding out.  
"I'm so scared, Jace. My flinch this morning wasn't you at all. It was the nightmares playing with me. I keep thinking I'm going to see Raphael at any given second. Any shadow is him coming to reach out for me, every unexpected whisper, touch, sound… he's gonna hurt me, Jace. I just don't know when…" Clary whimpered.  
Her voice trembled along with her body and Jace didn't know what to say, he didn't know what to do. This had turned a lot more serious than he imagined. He had no doubt that she was telling the truth, you couldn't fake the kind of fear he saw in her.

"He won't hurt you. Not when I'm around, I promise. You are safe with me," he promised her.  
Clary looked up at him, her eyes glimmering.  
"You can't protect me, not from Raphael," she whispered.  
Jace's expression hardened.  
"Just let him try," he growled.  
Clary gave him a small smile and, despite knowing Raphael would snap Jace like a twig, she felt better. She gave him a light kiss on the jaw and rested her head on his shoulder.

"So what's been going on with you while I've been away?" she asked.  
Jace took a deep breath and heaved it out.  
"Oh, just the usual, school, running, staying away from ducks and dealing with a dying father whose life mission is to make sure I take over his company," Jace responded in a light and airy voice.  
Clary pressed her lips together.  
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.  
"About what?" he asked.  
Clary shrugged.  
"Any of it?"  
Jace let out a sigh that turned into a slightly frustrated growl. He didn't want to talk about any of it, but he knew he should. Clary had shared with him, it was only fair he shared with her.

"I don't know. I just don't know. His dying wish is to bequeath his company to me but I… I don't want it," Jace told her.  
"Why not?" Clary asked, curiously.  
Jace thought back to his daydream and he coloured slightly at the thought of telling Clary he imagined being married and having a kid with her. He could imagine her running for the hills yelling that he was a stalker and a creep.  
"I just don't think it's the right choice, is all. I feel like it will change me and mould me into someone I don't want to be," he admitted.  
Clary nodded thoughtfully.  
"So, does that mean your father is absolutely terminal? No chance of fighting it off?" she asked trying to be gentle.  
She had assumed it was cancer, that's what the majority of the population seemed to be dying from.  
"There is… but only if he gets a liver transplant," Jace said.  
"A liver transplant… what's he got?" Clary asked.  
"Chronic liver disease paired with cirrhosis," Jace answered bitterly. "He would be fine with treatment if he didn't have cirrhosis, which he got after I killed Mom. Go figure."  
"Jace…" she said softly, knowing exactly where his mind was going.  
"Please, just—just… don't, Clary," Jace said, frustration lacing his tone.  
Clary clamped her mouth shut, not wanting to upset him further.  
"He's tried nearly all the treatments, and he said he's going to give it a month, before starting treatments again. And we've already made it through a week, so I only have three weeks left with him," Jace explained.  
Clary looked up at him and took his hand in hers.  
"How do you feel about that?" she asked shyly.

She didn't know if she could push this far, if he would answer or if he'd shut her out again.  
"I don't know. I just… I don't know _how_ I am supposed to feel. Well, actually, no. I know how I'm supposed to feel, I'm supposed to be struck down with grief over the fact I'm losing my father, but… I'm not. I mean, I _am_ but I'm not. I have hated him for years, and then out of the blue he pops up saying he's dying and I'm sad? I just feel, like an imposter!" Jace couldn't stop, all his pent up frustration and regrets were all coming out like word vomit and he felt slightly panicky at the thought of Clary hearing all his innermost thoughts and finding out who he really was inside.  
"I mean, he's an asshole and has been for years and I never thought we would ever reconcile, plus I never thought I would want to… but now, I only have a year with him and for some reason, I want to? Why? So I can gain his approval? He is never going to care for me so why should I care for him?  
"And even worse, I feel regret. About how we haven't been a family and I wonder if we'll have the chance before he dies and if we don't will I regret it? I just… I'm so confused! I hate him and don't hate him at the same time! And I don't know what to do about it..."  
Clary had no idea how much was going on up in his head and she knew that there was at least three times as many thoughts mulling about his brain than what he had told her. She felt grateful to know he had opened up for her and a small smile graced her face because of that.  
"Jace, he's your father, and, not exactly a nice one at that. I would be surprised and a little bit concerned if you didn't feel anything like this towards him. It's totally normal to feel that way about him. It's hard when something like this happens, particularly to someone you love—"  
"I do not love him," Jace all but growled at her.  
Clary paused for a moment and she took in his sudden mood swing.  
"I'm sorry," she murmured, feeling silly and chastised.  
"It's okay," he mumbled.

"What do you want from him?" she asked softly, dropping the subject entirely.  
Jace paused and really thought over her question. _What did he want from his father?  
_ "I think, I just want… I want him around, maybe… appreciate me? Want to be a Dad… I know it's pretty selfish and self involved but… I just think… It might be nice," he admitted, ducking his head away in embarrassment.  
Clary's eyes softened and she placed her hand on his cheek, turning his face to look at her.  
"He has no idea on who he is missing out on. You are amazing and he is so lucky he can call you his son," she said softly.  
Jace's ears burned red and he gave her a small smile.  
"You think so?" he asked.  
Clary smiled and shook her head.  
"No."  
The smile dropped from his face.  
"I _know_ so."  
His smile returned, larger.

"So Jace… I know we just had an important question, but I need to know… where do we stand, right now?" Clary asked timidly.  
"Well, actually, I think we are sitting rather than standing," he replied with a cheeky tone.  
Clary rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to slap him on the chest.  
"Very funny," she commented dryly.  
Jace grinned at her and she raised her eyebrows expectantly at him. He sighed and looked down at his hands. This was a conversation he had been dreading having.  
"I don't know Clary. What do you want from me?" he asked her.  
She took a deep breath and contemplated telling him everything. But she also thought of how far away he would run and bit her lip.  
"I just want us to be happy," she murmured finally.  
Jace reached up and brushed a few loose strands of hair away from her face so he could look, unhindered into her eyes.  
"Every moment spent with you is a happy one," he told her.  
She blushed hard and felt a smile tug at her lips but looked up in hesitation.  
"Are you sure? Because we've spent some time arguing lately and I just… Do you want to give up on us? Will you be happier without having to worry about… us?" she asked, her voice sounding small.  
He shook his head resolutely.  
"Absolutely not, and that's a promise and there's nothing you can say that would change my mind on that," he laughed quietly at the end.  
Clary smiled, feeling a big weight lift off her shoulders.  
"That… makes me feel a lot better. Thank you," she replied, sounding a lot lighter and happier.

The pair stood up as the bell rang to signal the end of lunch and Clary slipped her hand in with his. He took it and squeezed it lightly. She smiled up at him and he smiled down at her. A thought flickered in his mind and before he could even stop and think he was talking.  
"Hey Clary, you don't… l-love me, do you?" he asked.  
Clary stopped and stared at him. She could see a kind of hesitant hope in his eyes but she couldn't tell what for. Whether he hoped she didn't or hoped she did. Going by what she knew of Jace, it was most likely the former.  
"No, no, it's too soon for that," she laughed him off.  
The resulting breath and the easy smile, stung her hard as she realised she was right.


End file.
